Dental Health Check with Dr. Linda Niessen
Dental health topics from Dr. Linda Niessen of Baylor College of Dentistry
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 Whitening Sensitivity

By Dr. Linda Niessen
Monday, May 30, 2005

STORY:  WHITENING SENSITIVITY

If you are whitening your teeth and feeling some sensitivity, there's no need to skip the Memorial Day picnic or cookout. Dr. Linda Niessen has some reassuring advice for people experiencing bleaching side effects in today's Dental Health Check.

No other cosmetic procedure has gained more popularity in recent years than teeth whitening.

But many patients develop sensitivity, either in the teeth or the gum tissue, or sometimes both.
 
Let's be clear about this… After 30 years of study, bleaching does not harm your teeth. Sensitivity goes away quickly, usually within a day or two. But you should understand what causes the problem and what to do about it.
 
You can cut down on the time you bleach. One hour should be plenty of time to get results with dentist-prescribed bleaching products.
 
"I was putting too much in so I came back and got retrained on how much of the gel to put in. And also, the tray was too high so we cut it down to make it pretty impossible for me to miss," said Cristin Hartman.
 
Cristin complained of both teeth and gum sensitivity. One problem was too much bleach in her custom trays. "In the beginning you're trying to get the hang of how much to put in the tray. I know now," she continued.
 
Cristin's dentist, Dr. Tammy Weyandt, also recommended a weaker concentration of the whitening agent.
 
"Sensitivity varies from person to person. It's nice to have the trays at home with the whitening solution so the patient can control how much they're using and therefore control their sensitivity," said Dr. Weyandt.
 
Gums and teeth must be healthy before you start to whiten your teeth.
 
Dr. Weyandt added, "Tooth sensitivity could be due to micro cracks within the tooth structure. It could be due to decay. It could also be due to gingival recession if the gums have receded away."
 
Here's one last tip, if you develop sensitive gums during bleaching, apply the liquid in a Vitamin E capsule directly to the gums. It will take the sting away almost immediately. For Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A & M Health Science Center, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen, Channel 8 News.

Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and  the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.

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