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Can Teeth Whitening Cause Cavities?

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Can Teeth Whitening Cause Cavities?

Posted by writeradmin

I have whitened my teeth for most of my adult life and use whitening toothpastes in between treatments, which range from once a year to once every two years. Recently, my teeth have been sensitive and I’ve read that is a warning sign of cavities. I was talking to a friend about this and she thinks the teeth whitening is the problem and could be leading to sensitivity and cavities. Have I done irreversible damage to my teeth?

Marilla

Dear Marilla,

teeth bleaching trays
Teeth Bleaching Trays

It sounds like you’ve been given a mix of accurate and false information. The enamel on your teeth is the hardest substance on your body, but it is not unchangeable. For example, if you grind your teeth, you can wear them down to little nubs. Acid leeches the minerals out of your teeth that are essential in fighting decay. There are foods and drinks that can change your oral pH balance and damage your teeth. If your mouth becomes more acidic, it demineralizes your teeth, which makes you much more susceptible to decay. Getting fluoride treatments can help to remineralize your teeth.

Professional Teeth Whitening Products are Inherently Safe

You are much more at risk from whatever whitening toothpaste you are using than you are from professional teeth whitening. The whitening toothpastes you can by at the store use abrasives to scrub off whatever stains you’ve garnered. This damages the tooth enamel by creating minute scratches to the surface, thereby making your teeth more sensitive and actually attracting stains.

The teeth whitening gel your dentist uses don’t scrub your teeth. They open the tubuals on your tooth’s surface and oxidize the teeth from within. However, they only stay open for a couple of days, which is why your dentist advises you not to eat or drink any staining food or beverages during that time. Once the whitening is finished, the tubuals close back up.

If you want a safe whitening toothpaste, I recommend you get SuperSmile Toothpaste. This safely removes your stains using a protein pellicle and is designed specifically for patients who have cosmetic dentistry done to protect their work and keep their smiles nice and bright.

This blog is brought to you by Mt. Dora Dentist Dr. Michelle Stillman.