Baton Rouge Dentist

Why is my teeth whitening causing me pain?

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I have been whitening my teeth, using an at-home system, for a couple of weeks now and have had no problems. However, during my whitening session yesterday, I experienced an intense pain for about half of a minute in my front tooth. This tooth has a dental bond that was chipped and corrected over a decade ago. Do you think the pain is any indication that the dental bond needs replaced? Or, is there any chance that the whitening I’ve been doing is causing the bond to lose its strength? I’m worried that it could be both.

Thank you,
Lindsay

Dear Lindsay,
It is unlikely that the bleaching would cause the bond on your tooth to weaken. The bleaching gel has no history of weakening bonds such as this. In addition, if the bond were beginning to lose its strength, the repair, which you mentioned having done to to the chip in the bond, would likely fall off and not just cause pain.


The pain you mentioned experiencing can be attributed to the bleaching gel applied to a part of the tooth which is sensitive. If the tooth has been chipped and repaired, it’s possible that the part which is sensitive was previously covered by a bonding agent that is no longer there.

This is a good reminder that teeth whitening is best done under the supervision of a dentist and hopefully this is the case with you. You should make your dentist aware of the pain you’ve been experiencing. He or she should be able to determine the cause of the problem. If there is a sensitive part to the tooth, something can be applied to address the sensitivity, allowing you to move forward with your current bleaching treatment. It is important that you address this prior to any more bleaching.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge teeth whitening dentist, Dr. Ryan Perry.

Can lemons make my teeth whiter?

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I am interested in whitening my teeth and have been researching ways to do it myself. The more natural options continue to appeal to me. My teeth aren’t in terrible condition, but I would be happy if they were a little brighter. The lemon and orange method to whitening continues to jump out at me. They say if you use the essential oils in these fruits, or rub the peels on your teeth daily, the method works as a whitening agent. How does this help? What causes the fruit to whiten my teeth?

Thanks,
Carrie

Dear Carrie,
While this, indeed, is a solution promoted by natural health resources, it can cause permanent damage to your teeth for several reasons.

  1. There are many reasons for tooth discoloration. The discoloration of teeth can be intrinsic, which comes from inside the tooth, or extrinsic coming from outside. When a tooth dies, it becomes gray. Age, genetic factors, hard brushing, acidic wear, or some medications, can all cause discoloration to show through. Extrinsic stains are often the result of habits such as drinking soda, coffee, tea, wine, or juice. Smoking can also cause the change in color.
  2. Clean teeth don’t usually have external staining. Teeth build up a natural layer of plaque. This is similar to the slippery film on a rock in a river or a lake. This plaque layer is called biofilm and it includes bacteria that can cause tooth decay or gum disease. Brushing twice a day and visiting your general dentist regularly can ensure none of the biofilm stays on teeth. Coloring from food or drinks won’t have much to stick to when teeth are clean. It is when the biofilm builds up that the stains tend to last. Regular dental hygiene is the best way to prevent this buildup.
  3. Citrus fruits do whiten teeth. Citrus fruits can brighten teeth, mainly due to their citric acid killing the bacteria. Apple cider vinegar can also be used on discolored teeth, but does have acetic acid.
  4. Acids can damage tooth enamel. The acid in the above cures will weaken and wear down the enamel on teeth, magnify the discoloration of teeth, cause them to become more sensitive, and make them more susceptible to decay. Unfortunately, once tooth enamel goes away, there is no way to get it back. Some sources suggest using oil or a water rinse to weaken the impact of the acid, but this is not a guarantee. The best choice would be not to use the methods which involve acid at all.
  5. Use professional whitening. It is important to discuss any of the natural cures to the stained teeth with your dentist first. Determine what he or she thinks is best, or, better yet, find a dentist who does teeth whitening, and know that it is a tested and safe method.

This blog is sponsored by Baton Rouge teeth whitening dentist, Dr. Ryan Perry.

Whitening bonding

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I had some composite bonding done on several years ago, but they’re starting to stain. I had just gotten the bonding to match my natural teeth at the time, because I was short on funds and couldn’t whiten also.  Now I’m in a position to whiten and wondered if it will also whiten my bonding.

Jennifer S. – Wyoming

Jennifer,

No, unfortunately your bonding will not whiten with the teeth whitening. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t have gorgeous teeth. I would go ahead and whiten your teeth. When you have them the shade you want, then you can have the bonding re-done.

If you’ve had them for several years and they’re starting to stain, then you’d likely need them re-done anyway. Now you can have it match your new white color.

Not to add expense, but in case there are other things with your teeth that have bothered you, you may want to talk to your cosmetic dentist about porcelain veneers. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaneously.

If you’re happy with everything but the color, then just stick with the whitening and bonding.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.