How To Get Rid Of Sensitive Teeth After Whitening
It’s a common scenario… You look in the mirror one day and notice one (or several) tooth stains. After using whitening strips/gel/toothpaste/mouth rinse at home, your teeth are looking much whiter! Unfortunately, they’ve also become more sensitive.
Yikes! What do you do?
Some Advice About Sensitive Teeth
Before we can tell you how to get rid of sensitive teeth after whitening, you must first understand what causes this sensitivity. Put simply, it’s most likely the whitening product(s) you’re using.
Regardless of the type of whitening product you choose (gel, mouth rinse, toothpaste, strip) – the real issue is whether or not it contains carbamide peroxide. If so, it’s the same bleaching agent which causes 78% of people to experience dental hypersensitivity.
Here’s how it works… Products with carbamide peroxide work hard to break down surface stains, but they also go unnecessarily deeper than that. With continued use, the peroxide quickly saturates your dental enamel, revealing the nerves below.
Once your nerves are no longer protected, it’s normal to experience intense but brief tooth pain often brought on by consuming hot and cold beverages as well as sugary foods. Vigorous tooth brushing may also trigger this sort of discomfort.
Luckily, we’re about to describe how to get rid of sensitive teeth after whitening. The first tactic is also the easiest – stop using your whitener for several days or even a few weeks. Other options include using less whitening product per application and limiting the time you wear the whitening product during each use. In addition to this advice, you can also try a toothpaste made specifically for sensitive teeth.
Remember to seek the guidance of your dentist when experiencing tooth sensitivity. Not only can he recommend a desensitizing treatment to help with your symptoms, he can also recommend a non-bleach whitener to use for future tooth discoloration.
The next time some asks you how to get rid of sensitive teeth after whitening, share the advice you learned here. Or just send them to our blog and we’ll take it from there!
Do you need to schedule your next appointment? Or perhaps you have more questions about our dental services? Either way, we ask that you call our office at (813) 961-1727 and someone from the North Pointe Dental team will be happy to assist you further!
