Tips for Dealing with Tooth Sensitivity After Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening at a dental clinic in Palm Beach Gardens is safe, effective, fast, and transformative. To whiten your teeth, your dentist uses bleaching compounds that dissolve stains from your teeth and affect the dentin layer of your tooth. In as little as an hour, your dentist can lighten your teeth by as many as six or eight shades comfortably and safely.

Whitening can cause teeth sensitivity

Safe and comfortable as teeth whitening is, those bleaching compounds can cause some teeth sensitivity in some patients. That sensitivity is caused by the exposure of the dentin — the second layer of your teeth that lays just below the enamel — during the whitening process. The dentin is normally yellowish. The effect of the bleaching compounds’ hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide on that dentin, together with the removal of stains from your enamel, results in whiter teeth.

If you have had issues with tooth sensitivity in the past, you should discuss that with your dentist in Palm Beach Gardens before whitening begins. Your dentist will be able to adjust the bleaching compounds or even choose different brands of material to take that sensitivity into account. This is one of the significant benefits of professional teeth whitening near you as opposed to using over-the-counter products.

In addition to advising your dentist in advance about teeth sensitivity issues, there are several things you can do to help deal with any tooth sensitivity that you experience after teeth whitening.

How to deal with tooth sensitivity after teeth whitening

Prepare in advance of your whitening session

You can boost your resistance to teeth sensitivity in the week or so before your teeth whitening session by using toothpaste or gels specifically designed to treat sensitive teeth. Sensitive teeth toothpastes can be purchased at any drugstore, but your dentist in Palm Beach Gardens can also recommend particular products.

Use sensitive teeth products after your whitening session

For a couple days after whitening session, your teeth will be at their most sensitive. During those couple days, brush your teeth with toothpaste for sensitive teeth. After the worst of the sensitivity has passed, resume using your preferred general toothpaste.

Brush gently

In the days after your teeth whitening session, be particularly gentle during tooth brushing and be sure to use a soft-bristled brush. Rather than using cold or hot water, use lukewarm water in anticipation of sensitivity to temperatures. Once you’ve completed brushing, don’t rush to rinse and remove the toothpaste from your mouth, but leave it in place for longer than usual. That prolonged exposure may confer greater sensitivity-reducing benefits.

Avoid hot and cold beverages

In the days after a whitening session, avoid hot and cold beverages — focusing on lukewarm beverages instead that are less likely to cause sensitivity. While we’re on the topic, you should avoid hot beverages like coffee and tea anyway since they’re powerful staining agents, and avoiding them will help to preserve your newly whitened teeth.

Teeth whitening at a dental clinic in Palm Beach Gardens is known to cause minor and temporary sensitivity in some patients depending on their specific circumstances. That temporary teeth sensitivity is normal, common, and nothing to be concerned about.

If following these suggestions does not resolve your tooth sensitivity within 48 hours, do get in touch with your dentist in Palm Beach Gardens for their advice. They’ll be able to offer suggestions for any ongoing sensitivity, including appropriate over-the-counter pain medications. Even more importantly, your dentist will be able to make note of your experience to help them make any necessary adjustments during your next teeth whitening session.

Scroll to Top