If you look in the mirror and find your smile to be lacking in the brightness department, your first instinct may be to go grab a whitening kit. While these treatments are highly effective, you should really have a dental exam first to check for cavities and decay.
While the chemicals will still remove the staining, there can be unintended consequences for your smile. Continue reading to learn more about the unpleasant side-effects of whitening teeth while you have cavities.
How Tooth Decay Works
To understand how the whitening agents will interact with tooth decay, you should first know how decay forms.
Cavities are small holes that appear in teeth when acidic plaque stays on their surface for too long. This is usually the result of poor oral hygiene.
Once the plaque has eaten a hole into the enamel of a tooth, bacteria enter through the hole and continue to wear it away. If left for too long, this decay can wear into the dentin and then the pulp of your tooth where the nerve is.
How Does the Whitening Treatment Interact With Decayed Teeth?
When a tooth has been worn down to the nerve, or close to it, it becomes more sensitive. This sensitivity is made worse by the chemicals in the whitening treatment.
The active ingredient in whitening treatments is hydrogen peroxide which acts as a bleaching agent. The chemical penetrates the porous structure of your tooth to clear away stains under the surface.
When the whitening solution is finished, it leaves behind a much brighter smile, but it can also leave your teeth sensitive—even when the teeth are healthy. This sensitivity is compounded by tooth decay, which may have made a direct access hole to your inner tooth.
What Should I Do if I Have Cavities and Want a Teeth Whitening?
To continue with a whitening treatment, your dentist will first need to address the decay in your mouth. Depending on the severity of the decay, different treatments will be needed.
For smaller holes, a dental filling may be all that’s required. Your dentist can even choose a shade of material that matches a whitened version of your teeth.
For more complex treatment of decay, your dentist may need to clean away the enamel and place a crown or perform a root canal to remove infected pulp from your tooth. Once your teeth are free from cavities and decay, you can follow up with a whitening treatment.
Now that you know the unfortunate interaction between cavities and whitening treatments, you can take informed action. If you suspect you have cavities, schedule an appointment with your dentist. Teeth whitening can restore your smile’s natural brilliance; however, you should first ensure your own comfort.
About the Practice
Dr. Jose-Luis Ruiz is one of the top aesthetic dentists in the entertainment industry, serving the community of Los Angeles for over 20 years. Dr. Ruiz is a respected professor, researcher, and educator in multiple dental disciplines, even writing a book on healthier approaches to cosmetic dentistry. When other dentists want to learn, they visit Dr. Ruiz. To schedule an appointment at Supra-Gingival Dentistry by Dr. Ruiz, call (818) 558-4332 or visit the website to learn more.
