Question:
I need to know if teeth whitening is safe. Are there different
methods...and each with different risks?
I have been hearing conflicting opinions on the safety of having my
teeth whitened. My dentist has assured me the product I will be using
is safe. It is the Take-Home Tooth Whitening kit from the Premier
Dental Products Company. A friend of mine said her dentist will not
whiten her teeth because it is bad for the teeth (makes it weaker...more
prone to cavities). I do not know the method her dentist was referring
to.
Perhaps both dentists are correct depending on which method is used?
Answer:
I have bleached my teeth and the teeth of many patients and staff members, with
no problems that have been called to my attention. I consider bleaching to be
very safe, and the only cautions I will offer are that the teeth WILL get
sensitive during the bleaching process, but this is only temporary. Also, if
the bleaching material comes into contact with the gum tissue and is allowed to
remain in contact for some time, the gums can be injured. This is rare, and
the gums generally heal quickly.
Perhaps your friend is already more "prone" to cavities due to her level of
oral hygiene. Also, any detectable cavities should be filled prior to
bleaching, as the bleaching material will most likely cause pain and faster
spread of the cavity if it gets inside it. I don't know this for sure, so
don't quote me, k ? Another reason that your friend may have been told this
is that perhaps her dentist is "old school" and either doesn't understand
bleaching, or does not offer it in his practice and doesn't want to risk losing
her as a patient by sending her to another doc for bleaching. It's also
possible that I am wrong, and he has a legitimate reason for saying this.
However, I don't know what that reason would be.
If you or your friend have crowns or white fillings or veneers on any of your
visible teeth, they will not change color with bleaching, and then the teeth
may look splotchy, the fillings may stand out, etc., and it can end up looking
worse than when you started. I always tell people about this possibility
BEFORE bleaching, so that there are no misunderstandings afterwards.
After reading up on "bleaching" and going through the feedback from this
newsgroup, I have decided to go ahead with it.
(While I can drink dark drinks from a straw (to minimize staining) it will
look odd when drinking red wine. Guess I'll have to brush right away or
stop altogether. )
Please do not drink red wine while you are bleaching your teeth under any
circumstance. One of my patients did. I have never seen anything like it.
Her teeth were magenta! Thankfully, the bleach whitened them again in a few
days.
