Is Teeth Whitening Bad for You?
Amy Paturel, SELF magazine
It seems like every celeb in Hollywood has a set of perfectly white teeth -- and increasingly, more of your friends and co-workers probably do, too.
How can you ever compete? With bleach!
Over-the-counter whitening agents abound, with white strips, age-defying chewing gum, paint-on gels, leave-in trays, even brightening toothpaste and mouthwash beckoning to us from store shelves. And while most of these products can instantly boost your confidence, mask your age and help you keep up with the Joneses (or at least the cast of Jersey Shore!), whitening and over-whitening may be damaging to your dental health.
"Tooth whitening can cause tooth sensitivity -- and that sensitivity is the tooth's warning system that something is wrong," explains Linda C. Niessen, M.D., clinical professor at Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas.
Related: 4 Reasons Skipping the Dentist is Bad for You
Bleachers describe feeling everything from mild tingling and sensitivity to a cold feeling to burning gums to mind-scrambling "zingers."
And while a sensitive reaction to white strips, for example, is more common among younger people (20s to 30s), people who have erosion or abrasion on their teeth and adults who have periodontal (gum) disease, it can happen to anyone. In fact, 82 percent of Americans experience dental pain and sensitivity at some point in their lives. That's why dentists recommend seeing a dental professional to evaluate the health of your teeth and gums before whitening your teeth, explains Niessen. Still want to whiten? Niessen has a few tips:
1. Go easy - No matter how much you want a bright smile, your teeth should never be whiter than the whites of your eyes.
2. Know what's in your mouth - If you have composite fillings, crowns or veneers that were made to match the original color of your front teeth, these restorations won't whiten (whitening products can't change the color of porcelain). So if you whiten your natural teeth, your fillings, crowns or veneers may not match -- and that's a much bigger fashion faux pas than slightly yellowed natural teeth.
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3. Lower your standards - The blinding white teeth that grace magazine covers are often the result of Photoshop or veneers, not tooth whitening. Those standards are impossible to achieve. Our advice: don't chase a mirage.
4. Tailor your whitening experience -- Using lower concentration products or decreasing the frequency of the whitening can help alleviate sensitivity -- and help you achieve results gradually without overdoing it. When using at-home whitening trays, for example, keep them in your mouth for 15 minutes instead of 30, and instead of everyday use, use them once or twice a week. Going the professional route? Ask your dentist for a treatment with a new biocompatible ingredient called NovaMin that can provide immediate sensitivity relief, suggests Nissen. NovaMin reacts with your saliva and the minerals on the tooth's surface to create a barrier that blocks pain.
5. Focus on prevention - If you smoke, stop (not just for your teeth, but for your health, too). Avoid staining foods and beverages (yes, that means the java you're sipping right now!). Tea, red wine and blueberries are other offenders. If you've gotta have 'em (and who can resist a daily cup of joe?) brush your teeth immediately after indulging. And see your dentist every six months.
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