Family Dentistry

Most likely, but some determinations must be made first. You should see your dentist to make sure that this sensitivity isn’t stemming from some other underlying problem that would need to be addressed more urgently (i.e. a large cavity, fractured tooth, etc.). If there is nothing of an urgent nature, and the sensitivity is due to tooth grinding or clenching, gum recession, exposed root surfaces, etc., then precautions must be taken to make you as comfortable as possible while whitening. For example, the dentist could cover over any exposed root surfaces to protect from the whitening gels. Fluoride toothpastes can be prescribed for use before and after treatments. Desensitizing solutions can be applied either in the office or placed in your custom whitening tray at home, instead of the whitening gel. An over the counter pain medication can be used to help take the edge off the sensitivity if cleared by your dentist.

Some patients may experience sensitivity throughout the treatment; others may not experience any sensitivity at all. Usually any sensitivity one may experience ceases within 24 hours from the termination of treatment. Older teeth have less sensitivity due to the nerves within the tooth becoming less prominent and migrating farther away from the outside surfaces. People with gum recession and root exposure may have more sensitivity due to the bleaching agents coming into contact with those exposed surfaces.

These white spots are due to a decalcification in the enamel. This may happen from a variety of reasons that include the enamel not forming properly during tooth development, and the acid break down of food debris from poor home care. Usually, if someone was not able to clean their teeth well during orthodontic treatment, the food debris would accumulate around the bracket, and the acids would attack that area more to try and break down the food. As a result, once the brackets were removed, white spots are evident around the area where the bracket used to be.

White spots are not removed with bleaching, although they may become less noticeable. If your teeth were dark to begin with, then bleaching may decrease the relative contrast of the white spots on your teeth. If there are any unsightly white spots that remain after whitening, you may choose to trough out those areas and replace it with tooth colored bonding that blends with the newly lightened shade

Teeth can turn yellow for a variety of reasons, including:

• Aging (years of cumulative stain and the wear of the outer, white enamel layer of the teeth over time)
• Heavy consumption foods and beverages that are more likely to stain (including: red wine, dark teas, coffee, vegetable juices, hot chocolate, soy sauce, etc.)
• Smoking
• Poor oral hygiene (which creates a thick coat of a yellowing plaque or tartar)
• Heavy Grinding (which can wear away the enamel to reveal the yellower layer of tooth structure beneath)

Please note that the most common cause of this yellowing is due to poor brushing, which builds up this plaque and tartar, which is more likely to hold the stain than the tooth’s enamel. Once the teeth are cleaned, the yellow often disappears. Whitening is only effective for brightening the enamel itself, and will not do anything for teeth that are not properly cleaned.

Toothpastes that have color will not stain your teeth generally. However, if you are in the process of undergoing whitening treatments, it is advised to use white toothpaste instead. Teeth can become more porous as a result of bleaching, and are subject to further whitening or staining. Within 24-48 hours after whitening is complete, the enamel regains that protective, fluoride-rich layer, and is not susceptible to the colors within the toothpaste. Additionally, once the toothpaste begins to foam, there is not much color to saturate the teeth with.

The importance of a custom-fitted tray cannot be over-emphasized; it allows for maximum patient comfort, reduces side effects, and maximizes efficacy. The over-the-counter versions may be ill-fitting and clumsy, or just may not cover all the desired tooth surfaces that you would want to whiten.

With good oral care the procedure's results may last over two years, and recent studies have shown that most patients experience only a one-shade regression after 6 months. Of course, those patients who smoke, drink dark teas and coffee, indulge in red wine and other readily staining foods and beverages are more likely to relapse sooner and require additional whitening sessions. Custom home-tray whitening usually tends to revert less than in-office techniques, but it takes longer to achieve desired results.

Yes. It is imperative that one's dentist performs a proper examination and diagnosis, in order to identify abscessed teeth, existing cavities, internal or external resorption, and other pathological problems before bleaching. Your dentist can help you to prevent the "corn-on-the-cob" effect (yellow tooth, white tooth, yellow tooth, etc.), by pointing out which of your teeth have restorations that will not whiten. A cleaning may be indicated to remove the plaque, tartar and extrinsic stains so that the whitening solutions can reach the tooth surface. A full series of x-rays and a detailed dental history should also help to determine if someone is more prone to having sensitive teeth.

Anything that can stain a white T-shirt, such as red wine, coffee, tea, cola, teriyaki sauce, tomato sauce, etc. Stay bland in color, and also try to have everything closer to room temperature to avoid sensitivity. Within 24 hours from when you completed your last whitening session, the pores of your teeth close, and that fluoride-rich layer will start to build again protecting the enamel. Once this happens you may have whatever you wish. Remember that stain is cumulative, and the more bland the diet, the longer lasting are the effects before you may require another whitening session.

Yes. There are some whitening junkies or bleachaholics who do some form of whitening virtually every day, and don’t give their enamel a chance to rest and remineralize. These individuals can damage their nerves and have needed root canals because they have over-bleached. You can also wear away some of the enamel from your teeth and cause them to become more translucent and unnatural. They can become blue or blue gray in color. Remember, everything in moderation. It is a very safe, gratifying procedure when done as directed by your dentist.

Most dentists will not perform an In-Office whitening session on the teeth of someone younger than fourteen years of age. In fact, many prefer to wait until they are closer to sixteen. If some compromise needs to be reached, the dentist may choose to fabricate custom whitening trays and give out a very low concentration gel, or recommend over-the-counter whitening strips or products that are milder and less effective.