What You Should Know About Whitening Your Teeth

Before beginning a teeth-whitening regimen, it’s important to set realistic expectations and understand that a bright, gleaming smile may compromise the health of your teeth by making them sensitive. Instead, you may want to consider whitening your teeth to their true, or natural, shade of white.

Keep these 4 things in mind when whitening your sensitive teeth.

Healthy Teeth Are Important

While they may brighten your smile, some whitening toothpastes and bleaching treatments can put the health of your teeth at risk. Abrasives found in many whitening toothpastes can wear the sensitive areas of your teeth, while bleaching trays may cause mild gum tissue irritation.

Not All Whitening Treatments Are Right for Sensitive Teeth

Take into consideration the potential impact on your teeth before choosing a whitening treatment. Between the array of products and methods—including gels, trays, and strips—whitening results may vary, and your teeth could be more prone to the pain of sensitivity.

Your True, Natural White Is Unique

There’s no exact science to determining how white your teeth can get—it varies from person to person and depends on the condition of your teeth and the type of stains you have. Try to focus on achieving your “true white” and restoring the natural whiteness of your teeth, rather than a super white smile. The steps you take to obtain unnaturally white teeth could make your sensitivity worse.