No tooth sensitivity after whitening with these 9 tips
April 9, 2020
If you have sensitive teeth, it is interesting to ask yourself: is it wise to bleach my teeth now? If you have really sore teeth, you better make sure your teeth don’t hurt anymore. You can go to a dentist if your teeth really hurt. In addition, you can read this useful blog how to solve and prevent tooth sensitivity after whitening.
Tooth sensitivity
The problem with sensitive teeth is that the protective layer around your teeth, the gums, recedes. This exposes your necks and roots. This is very annoying, because you get sensitive teeth. This works as follows: very small channels run through your dentine in which nerve endings run. These nerve endings are protected by your enamel. There is no enamel under the gums, at the necks and roots.
Normally no problem, because your gums protect your tooth roots and necks. As your gums recede, your dental necks and roots are exposed. And then you get those painful teeth when you drink a cup of coffee or eat a candy. In addition, you also get easy holes. So you want to prevent this. But how? Read on how to avoid tooth sensitivity from whitening or even getting a dead tooth.
It is a calculation that anyone can make: brushing your teeth 2 x 2 minutes a day keeps the dentist away. After breakfast and in the evening just before bedtime. You may think, “I can’t brush my teeth often enough.” Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth: You can also brush your teeth too often. This can damage your gums and tooth enamel. Read another article on how to properly brush your teeth. In another blog you’ll find if you have to brush with or without water.
2. Gently brush your teeth
Unfortunately, many people still brush the way they used to brush their teeth: they are scrubbing. With this you can literally brush away your gums. In addition, you make the tooth enamel less strong with this. That is why it is important to brush gently and not to press too hard. This gives you healthy gums and no sore teeth. In this way, you’ll prevent tooth sensitivity from whitening.
3. Brush at the right angle
This is the so-called bass method: tilt the toothbrush at an angle of about 45 degrees. Brush according to the three B’s: the top, inside and outside of your tooth. It is important not to forget your back teeth (especially the back). Do this with gentle, short back-and-forth movements without pressing hard. An electric toothbrush helps with this.
4. Remove plaque
It is important for your gums to remove plaque with dental floss, a water floss or a tooth polisher. Plaque forms easily behind your teeth and between your teeth. Especially behind the bottom row of teeth. You often do not get there with your toothbrush. That is why it is wise to try to floss your teeth 1x every day. This will make your teeth extra clean and make your enamel stronger. This way you do not teeth sensitivity after whitening.
5. Choose a good toothbrush
Choosing a good toothbrush can sometimes be quite difficult. A sturdy toothbrush without too hard bristles. A bamboo toothbrush or a sonic electric toothbrush seems ideal here. This way you can very accurately remove plaque. You will not suffer from sensitive teeth or sore gums.
6. Clean your tongue
It is sometimes forgotten: brushing your tongue. Still, it is very important to brush your tongue before you whiten your teeth. There are many bacteria on the back of your tongue that cause a white deposit. You can easily scrape it off with a tongue scraper. This prevents the bacteria from settling on your teeth or gums. This not only prevents bad breath, but also teeth sensitivity after whitening.
7. A good toothpaste to prevent tooth sensitivity from whitening
You can choose many whitening toothpastes with many different properties. Some people are sensitive to fluoride toothpaste or SLS toothpaste. Therefore, consider taking a toothpaste without fluoride or a toothpaste without SLS. In addition, you could also consider an aloe vera toothpaste; this is healthy for your gums. This gives you less sensitive teeth after whitening. So don’t make your own toothpaste with baking soda and brush with it; leave it to the experts.
8. Choose a safe bleach and don’t get tooth sensitivity from whitening
There are many bleaches on the market today. Some bleaches have an unpleasant side effect: you get teeth sensitivity after whitening. That is not pleasant for someone with sensitive or painful teeth. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen with every method. This annoying side effect is mainly caused by ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, which penetrate deep into your teeth.
A dentist is allowed to use up to 6% hydrogen peroxide. Unfortunately, this can be too high for people with sensitive teeth. Of course you can also whiten your teeth without peroxide. This may be a little less effective, but it still produces white teeth. Most importantly, it is less harmful. This gives you less sensitive and / or painful teeth after whitening. Fortunately, you can safely whiten your teeth at Fleeck. This can be done with a teeth whitening kit without peroxide or with 0.1% peroxide.
9. Use a mouthwash to avoid tooth sensitivity from whitening
You have an extremely small chance of sensitive teeth if you whiten your teeth with a whitening set without peroxide or with a maximum of 0.1% hydrogen peroxide. If you use these products you will not get any pain after teeth whitening. In addition, our products comply with EU conditions and have safety certificates. This allows you to safely whiten teeth and get white teeth without risk. Still, you can take extra measures: rinse your mouth with a mouthwash. There are mouthwashes that strengthen the enamel. This gives you less sensitive teeth after bleaching.
Still tooth sensitivity from whitening
If, despite everything, you continue to suffer from sensitive teeth, you may need a filling, crown or bridge before a teeth whitening treatment. Visit the dentist for this. In another article, read how to whiten teeth with a crown, filling or bridge.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get sensitive teeth?
You get sensitive teeth when the dentine is exposed. There are small channels with nerve endings in the dentine. When the gums recede, the dentine is exposed. If you then eat something cold or warm, this puts pressure on the nerve endings and you get a painful feeling.
How do sensitive teeth develop?
Sensitive teeth are annoying and can develop in different ways. This can be done by brushing your teeth incorrectly: too hard, too often or not at the right angle. In addition, you can also get sensitive teeth from too high a hydrogen peroxide content. This can damage enamel or gums.
Can you bleach sensitive teeth?
Experts recommend not bleaching your teeth if you have sensitive and / or painful teeth. If you still want to whiten your teeth, it is best to whiten your teeth without peroxide. You can also go to your dentist or dental hygienist to ask for appropriate advice.
Can you prevent tooth sensitivity from whitening?
Yes, you can try to avoid tooth sensitivity from whitening. The most important thing is to brush your teeth well, not too often and not too hard. It is also important to brush your tongue. Finally, you can also rinse your mouth after teeth whitening with a mouthwash.
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