Things to Do Before You Have Your Teeth Whitened

Dental whitening appears to be one of the most popular treatments in the cosmetic dentistry field today. With the help of a skilled dentist, one can whiten their teeth in several shades. But if you haven’t visited your dentist for a while, you might need to do so before whitening your teeth. This is because your teeth might not be ready for the whitening treatment. Please read this guide to learn how to prepare your teeth before whitening them for the best results.

Book a Dental Exam

A dental exam helps you identify any issues that may interfere with the whitening process. This is an essential step if one hasn’t had a dental exam. Unfortunately, some dental problems are difficult to spot without your dentist’s assistance.

If you’ve had dental issues such as tooth sensitivity, gum disease, or cavities, your dentist can identify these issues before whitening your teeth. Some complications can arise if your teeth are whitened while having existing dental problems. For instance, teeth whitening treatment may lead to gum irritation if you have gum disease.

Fill Your Cavities

If one whitens their teeth while they have untreated cavities, they will likely experience pain during the whitening treatment. This is because the carbamide or hydrogen peroxide bleaching solution needs to penetrate teeth to whiten them. But if one has cavities, the bleach will penetrate more deeply, creating discomfort.

The bleach can also irritate the nerve in the center of a tooth if a cavity is large. If this happens, one might need a root canal to remove the nerve if it dies. Therefore, if you have cavities, you should get them filled before whitening your teeth.

Get Your Teeth Cleaned

The teeth whitening agent cannot penetrate tartar the same way it can penetrate teeth. And a thick layer of tartar prevents the whitening agent from reaching every part of your teeth. The result will be that your teeth will not appear uniformly white after the whitening procedure.

This is why your emergency dentist near you will always recommend that you go for dental cleaning before you whiten your teeth. Sometimes, one can whiten their teeth on the same day as their dental cleaning. But if your gums are sensitive after cleaning, the dentist might recommend that you wait until your gums heal.

Use Desensitizing Toothpaste

If some of your teeth are prone to sensitivity, you should prepare them before whitening them. Please speak to our dentist at Queen Creek, AZ, about desensitizing toothpaste that helps to lower sensitivity.

Our dentist provides desensitizing toothpaste to patients with sensitive teeth. This allows you to prepare your teeth first for one or two weeks so that you don’t experience extreme sensitivity during the treatment.

Schedule Restorations After the Whitening Appointment

If you plan to have some restorations on your teeth before your whitening treatment, you should postpone the treatments until after whitening treatment. This is because the whitening agent doesn’t penetrate porcelain as it penetrates the enamel. So, the right thing to do is to whiten your teeth first and then have your restorations, such as crowns and veneers, placed.

If one does their restorations after their whitening treatment, their dentist can match the shade of their restorations to their newly whitened teeth. So, are you ready to have your teeth whitened? Get in touch with Alexander Family Dental, where with the help of our highly trained and qualified dentists, you’ll achieve the shade of white that suits your smile perfectly.

How to Maintain White Teeth

To help your teeth stay brighter, you should practice some of these tips.

Minimize Staining Liquids

Some drinks like tea, coffee, red wine, and cola can stain your teeth. You should cut back on these beverages to maintain your white teeth. If you can’t live without these drinks, you should use a straw while drinking them in the first few days after a teeth whitening treatment. Sipping through a straw helps reduce the amount of liquid the teeth come in contact with.

Eliminate Tobacco

Eliminating stain-causing tobacco helps you eliminate several oral risks, including oral cancer, gum disease, and slower healing after specific dental procedures. In addition, avoiding tobacco leads to improvements in your overall oral health.