What side effects can be associated with professional teeth whitening treatments?

There doesn't have to be any pain or discomfort associated with professional teeth whitening treatments. But just like with any type of peroxide-based teeth whitening, side effects can and do occur...

What type of side effects can be experienced during an in-office whitening treatment?

The peroxide bleaching agents that dentists use when they perform professional teeth whitening treatments are caustic in nature and can be very irritating to the soft tissues of the mouth. This is why a dentist performing in-office whitening goes to such great lengths to isolate their patient's teeth (by way of placing a dental dam). An important safety feature of standard in-office teeth bleaching procedure is to limit the peroxide whitener to tooth contact only.

During the treatment process it is possible that the teeth being bleached will become sensitive or experience some discomfort. Depending on the nature of the symptoms noticed, the dentist might decide that the treatment time should be cut short and the whitening process terminated.

If the potential for pain exists, you might wonder why a dentist doesn't just numb up a person's mouth before the bleaching process is begun. The reason they don't is because not using anesthetic helps to make the whitening procedure safer.

If the teeth become sensitive during the whitening process it serves as a warning sign to the dentist that possibly the treatment time should be reduced so the nerve tissue inside a tooth does not become seriously aggravated. Equally important, the presence of discomfort can warn the dentist that the dental dam is allowing peroxide to come into contact with gum tissue or else the person's lips or cheeks. If the patient's mouth had been numbed, these warning signals would not be available.

What side effects might be experienced after a professional teeth whitening treatment has been completed?

A) Increased tooth sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages (thermal sensitivity).

It is commonplace that anyone undergoing any type of peroxide-based teeth whitening treatment might, after a treatment has been performed, experience an increased tooth sensitivity to hot and cold stimuli such as foods and beverages. In most cases this thermal sensitivity is self-limiting and will dissipate within some days after the whitening treatment has taken place. However, so to be on the safe side, you should always feel free to report any changes or side effects you notice to your dentist so they can evaluate them and advise you.

There are some remedies for tooth thermal sensitivity. One of them involves the application of fluoride to the surface of the affected teeth. You might have noticed that previously we mentioned that one of the final steps of professional teeth whitening treatment can be for the dentist to perform a fluoride treatment for the patient. This step can help to minimize the amount of tooth thermal sensitivity the person notices during the days following their treatment.

Another common remedy for teeth that are sensitive to hot and cold stimuli involves the use of an over-the-counter product. Some toothpastes, typically those labeled "for sensitive teeth," contain the ingredient potassium nitrate. Continued use of this type of toothpaste over a period of some days and weeks should help to reduce the amount of tooth thermal sensitivity that a person experiences.

B) Tooth pain and discomfort.

There is a phenomenon that can occur where the dental patient experiences little if any tooth discomfort during the professional bleaching process but some hours after the treatment has been completed pain appears. This discomfort can range from slight to moderate. The characteristics of discomfort experienced will vary but it usually ranges between mild sudden sharp pains and a dull moderate ache.

This type of tooth pain is probably caused by the tooth's nerve having become inflamed due to one of the following sources of irritation:

• The penetration of the peroxide bleaching agent to the nerve tissue of the tooth.
• The dehydration of the tooth during the bleaching process.
• Exposure of the tooth to an elevated temperature for an extended period of time (in those cases where an "activating" light or laser has been used as a part of the bleaching treatment).

As with any type of post treatment sensitivity, you should contact your dentist if you notice problems so they can determine if the symptoms you are experiencing lie within normal limits. This also gives them an opportunity to make a recommendation regarding a solution. In most cases this discomfort is self-limiting and will subside within just a few days. Dentists often recommend the use of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or aspirin. In all cases you should read the labeling found on any drug you consider taking so to make sure it is an appropriate medication for you.

Premedication with an anti-inflammatory drug before professional whitening treatments.

It has been suggested in dental literature that some post treatment side effects might be minimized if a dental patient will premedicate with an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen or aspirin before they have their professional bleaching treatment is performed. It's best to ask your dentist about the suitability of this idea in your situation. In all cases you should read the labeling found on any drug you consider taking so to make sure it is an appropriate medication for you.

Are there safety concerns with professional teeth whiteners?

The peroxide-based teeth whiteners that dentists use when performing in-office teeth whitening treatments are formulated from the same types of compounds as at-home peroxide-based teeth whiteners. One big difference is, however, that in-office teeth whitening products are typically much more concentrated. Some of the safety concerns one might have with the use of in-office whiteners can be similar in nature as those concerns we discuss elsewhere on Animated-Teeth.com (tray-based teeth whitening systems, teeth whitening strips). We encourage you to review the information found on those pages, formulate questions about your concerns, and then address these questions to your dentist before your whitening treatment is performed.

As you read our pages remember that while a characteristic of in-office teeth whitening procedure is that it includes the use of a whitener that contains a higher concentration of peroxide than at-home products, a hallmark of the in-office teeth whitening process is that it goes to great lengths to insure that the whitener is only applied to teeth (not other oral tissues are in contact with the whitener, none of the whitener is ingested).