How to Avoid Sensitivity After Teeth Whitening

While teeth whitening is a great dental treatment, it can have side effects. One of the most notable of these is tooth sensitivity – an issue that makes your pearly whites feel sore and achy. With that said, never fear; you can take steps to avoid sensitivity after teeth whitening. Your Hillsboro dentist will even share some of these helpful tips with you! So, please keep reading to learn ways to prevent sensitive teeth post-whitening.

Context: Whitening Causes Sensitivity?

Modern teeth whitening is quite safe; it won’t damage your smile. However, it can sometimes make a patient’s teeth sensitive after treatment.

The issue is that most whitening products use hydrogen peroxide. Since this material can make enamel more porous, it can expose your dentin – the underlying layer of your smile that has nerves. Such exposure will sometimes cause teeth to ache during and after a whitening procedure.

On the bright side, any such sensitivity is always brief. It usually fades after a few days and leaves no other issues behind.

How to Avoid Post-Whitening Sensitivity

By applying the right methods, you can avoid post-whitening sensitivity. Simply make sure to do the following:

Use Lower Levels of Peroxide

When using an at-home teeth whitening kit, use lower peroxide levels if possible. This measure reduces the risk of post-treatment sensitivity.

Don’t forget: hydrogen peroxide is the main cause of whitening sensitivity. Should you use less of it during your procedure, your smile’s dentin will be better protected. To apply less peroxide, consider mild teeth whitening products from your supermarket. You could also use these items for shorter intervals than usual.

Try a Desensitizing Toothpaste

Should you want a different approach, clean your teeth with desensitizing toothpaste after whitening. It should help with any post-procedure soreness.

Indeed, many desensitizing toothpaste brands prevent sore teeth entirely. Their ingredients either block pain signals to the brain or seal your smile’s dentin layer. In either case, the result is that your smile is protected from post-whitening aches and similar discomfort.

Say No to Extreme Temperatures

You can prevent whitening sensitivity by avoiding really high and low temperatures. In other words, just don’t put anything hot or cold in your mouth.

A smile whitened with hydrogen peroxide may react harshly to extreme temperatures. Since its dentin is (temporarily) exposed, contact with very hot or cold objects can make it ache a lot. That means you should stick with room-temperature foods and drinks for a few days post-treatment. Similarly, you’d do well to only use mild oral care products.

With the above tricks, you can avoid sensitivity after teeth whitening. Just remember them once your treatment is over!

About the Practice

The Dentists at Orenco Station is based in Hillsboro, OR. Led by Drs. Brandon and Malinda Kearbey, our practice gives every patient the best possible dental care. That means we tailor our preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatments to your unique smile and provide emergency oral services as needed. Whether you want a healthier grin, a prettier one, or both, our team will gladly make it happen! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (503)-640-4262.