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I’m obsessed with bleaching my teeth!

Posted on by smiles4u.

I hate to admit it, but I am kind of obsessed with bleaching my teeth. I had trays made by my dentist and I use them two to three times a week. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that they are not white – they actually look gray. What’s going on? — Shelby

Dear Shelby,
Most people think that the more they whiten, the whiter their teeth will be. Unfortunately, when it comes to teeth whitening, less is best. Most of the at-home whitening systems use carbamide peroxide as the main bleaching agent and it can actually damage the gums if it’s used too much. But even worse, teeth can also become brittle and chalky and the edges can become thin – resulting in that translucent or grey color you are noticing.

Dental professionals need to warn patients about the risks associated with overusing teeth bleaching products. It sounds like you have bleached too much for too long and you need to give your teeth a break. There’s no guarantee that your teeth will return to their normal color and strength, but if you don’t stop now, it will only get worse.  Get some Sensodyne ProEnamel toothpaste to help with remineralization and just back off. You may need to make an appointment with your dentist if they stay gray in color or get even darker. If they have become very weak, they could chip or cause other problems, and you’ll be likely looking at some restorative procedures down the road.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Getting rid of white spots…Zoom whitening didn’t work!

Posted on by smiles4u.

I just recently got my braces off. I love how straight my teeth are, but I have very noticeable white spots on some of my teeth. When I asked my dentist about how to get rid of them, he suggested Zoom whitening. I did the Zoom, but for some reason it didn’t work. What went wrong? — Aliya

Aliya,
This is one of the problems that happens when general dentists try to do cosmetic dentistry. Unfortunately, in your case, your dentist doesn’t really know the right thing to do. While Zoom whitening is a very effective treatment, when teeth are uneven in color like you are describing, it simply doesn’t work and neither will at-home systems. As you might be noticing, the spots are probably getting worse rather than better.

The good news is that there are treatments available to help. For the most part, white spots are caused by calcification around the braces due to oral hygiene issues. There is a product called Tooth Mousse that was developed specifically to help re-mineralize these spots. Microabrasion is also an option, but it tends to result in more of a “creamy” look, rather than white.

Direct dental bonding is probably your best option because the softened and de-calcified enamel (which is actually the early stages of tooth decay) is removed and replaced with composite that can be matched to your exact tooth color.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Sharp tooth pain while whitening

Posted on by smiles4u.

I started using a home whitening kit a couple of weeks ago and up until this morning, I didn’t notice any problems. Today, I experienced a sharp pain in my front tooth that was chipped several years ago and repaired with bonding. I think the bonding was done about ten years ago, so I am wondering if it is at a point where it needs to be replaced, but I also worry that the whitening has weakened it. — Aneesa

Aneesa,
Bleaching gel hasn’t been known to weaken bonding. If that were the case, the repaired part would probably fall off and not just be a sharp pain like you are describing.

Your tooth probably has a sensitive spot that used to be covered by bonding agent and the whitening gel is affecting it. This is a good example of the importance of a dentist’s supervision when you are whitening. Stop bleaching for now and make an appointment with your dentist so you can determine the exact root of the problem. If it is a sensitive spot, it can be coated with a product that will help with the sensitivity/pain so you can continue on with your regimen.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Will teeth whitening hurt my baby?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I have been planning my smile makeover for forever. I literally got the treatment plan from my dentist two years ago, but because insurance won’t cover most of it, I’ve had to save. My plan was to start with teeth whitening and then replace my metal fillings and then do some veneers. Well, I got the teeth whitening done a couple weeks ago and my appointment to start the rest of the work is next week. I just found out I’m pregnant. I don’t even know how far along I am, but I’m sure I must have been when I had my teeth whitened. Everything I can find says that you shouldn’t bleach your teeth while you’re pregnant, but nothing tells me why. Could I have hurt the baby?  — A Terrified Mama to Be

Dear Terrified Mama,
Relax and take a couple of deep breaths. There is no evidence to suggest any harm will come to your little one. In order for any kind of drug, medical material, or piece of medical equipment to be deemed safe during pregnancy, it has to get FDA clearance. The only way to get this is by having controlled trials in which healthy babies are born after the product has been used on the expectant mother. Naturally, there isn’t a whole lot of interest in the medical community, or with moms-to-be, in pursuing clinical trials. That doesn’t mean it will cause harm. It simply means it hasn’t been proven to be safe.

While this might seem like a slight nuance in language, it’s everything to the FDA and to manufacturers. This is why each one will tell you to either consult your doctor or not to use it if you’re expecting. There have been no reports whatsoever recognized by a reputable agency of babies being harmed by tooth whitening products. The warnings are simply a protective measure.

If you’re still concerned, have a chat with your OB/GYN. She’ll likely set your mind at ease. With that said, you may want to hold off on the additional cosmetic work until after you’ve delivered. Restorative treatment needed due to decay is generally ok after the first trimester and with clearance from your OB, but cosmetic work is usually on the no-no list because of the anesthetic and stress. Your OB may advise you otherwise, though, so always defer to her for treatment going forward. You can pick up where you left off with the cosmetic work after the baby is born. If need be, a few days of whitening at home should be able to boost your color back up to where it is now.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

What Should I Do About Painful Gums After Zoom Whitening?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I had Zoom whitening done yesterday. While they were doing it, I could feel my gums tingling a bit and I told the assistant. She messed with it a bit, but I’m not sure what she did. The discomfort reduced, but never went away altogether. All though the night, my gums really started to hurt and I couldn’t sleep. I looked at them this morning and they’re all white in one spot and they look very puffy, almost like a blister. What went wrong? Do I need to see the dentist again?  -Eddy

Dear Eddy,
Ouch. It sounds like what you’re experiencing is a reaction to the Zoom whitening gel. Dental offices usually take extra precautions to prevent this, but occasionally, the assistant misses a spot when she’s blocking out your gums, and the gel comes into contact with them and causes a chemical burn. As dreadful as that sounds, and as uncomfortable as it is, it’s usually very minor.

Just like a burn that could happen anywhere else on your body, this should heal itself within a week or two. You may notice a blister, and it might even peel, but healthy skin will take its place, and it probably won’t be noticeable to anyone while it heals or after.

In the meantime, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever, like ibuprofen, to help manage the discomfort. You’ll also need to be very careful while brushing. In fact, you may want to avoid brushing at all for a couple of days, followed by very light brushing until it heals totally. If you received take-home trays with your kit, don’t use them until the area is healthy again, and take extra care to wipe off excess gel when you do bleach at home. To speed up healing, most doctors recommend warm salt water rinses several times a day. There’s also some evidence to suggest that using vitamin E will help improve healing and reduce the chance of scaring later.

If you don’t see improvement within a week, or the pain gets worse, it’s a good idea to have it checked out. You should also let the office know what happened so that they can take preventative measures for future patients.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Will free teeth whitening offer give me something to smile about?

Posted on by smiles4u.

A local dentist is advertising free whitening if I become a patient at his office. Is this a common incentive dentists offer new patients? I wonder about how legitimate this offer is and if I’ll get there and it will be some cheap whitening toothpaste or another product that won’t give me the results I want. Is it worth checking out? — Marsha in Oakland

Marsha,
You’ll see lots of dentist these days who offer incentives for new patients – and teeth whitening is a common one. If you’re concerned about the legitimacy of the offer, the best thing you can do is call the office and ask a few questions before scheduling an appointment. Ask how much you would typically pay for the treatment they are offering and what products you will receive. While there are various treatments that can whiten your smile, the free treatment they are offering is likely an out-patient product rather than a whitening system done in the office that achieves results in a very short period of time. The dentist will make custom trays for your teeth and send you home with whitening gel that will gradually lighten your teeth over a period of days. It will be your responsibility to determine when you’ve reached your desired shade.

Keep in mind that there may be some rules or stipulations that apply, and you’ll want to ask about those ahead of time. It’s possible that you could find out you’re not a candidate for teeth whitening – particularly if you had dental work on your front teeth or you have periodontal disease that needs to be addressed first. There might also be a limit to how much gel they give you or how often you can get refills.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about Find out why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Zoom whitening made my white spots look worse

Posted on by smiles4u.

My teeth have always had little white spots on them, and I was hoping that having them bleached would make them less noticeable. I talked to my dentist about Zoom whitening and decided to have it done, but I am utterly disappointed with the results. Instead of hiding the white spots, they are even brighter. What happened?
— Stephanie in Mississippi

Stephanie,
The white spots sound like fluorosis – a condition that results from excess fluoride while the teeth are still forming. Zoom whitening and other bleaching products typically brighten natural tooth structure for most people, but if you have fluorosis, your dentist needs to use a different treatment.

You need to talk to your dentist in more detail about the results you were hoping to achieve. There are treatments that will hide the spots, but you and your dentist need to determine which one is best for your situation, and more often than not, it will be either using tooth-colored composite material or placing porcelain veneers. The good news is that it’s best to bleach before having restorative work done – especially if your goal was to not only hide the white spots, but overall have a brighter smile.

Also, you can expect it to take about a week for your new tooth color to stabilize, and you may even notice the white spots even less and decide that they look ok. Regardless of whether or not you seek further treatment, let your dentist know how you felt about the results.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about Find out why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Does a holisitic dentist offer safer teeth whitening?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I’ve been thinking about whitening my teeth, but I’m concerned about the chemicals that are used in many of today’s teeth whitening procedures. I have read that some can cause cancer.  I have often thought about seeking out a holistic dentist in my area. I like my dentist, but he uses more modern practices and when I asked him about whitening, he recommended the in-office procedure, which I know is loaded with harsh chemicals. Would a holistic dentist have other options? — Annie in Maryland

Annie,
You are not alone in your concerns and today more people are seeking out natural and holistic dentists. Sadly, many practitioners still rely on what they learned early on in their training, and don’t take the time to seek out the latest information on products and procedures and whether or not they can affect our bodies in a negative way.

The most common active whitening ingredient linked to cancer is the hydrogen peroxide found in in-office treatments. There is no definitive proof that it harms the body, and the only way it can be absorbed is through soft tissue contact. It’s unlikely that your gums will absorb much whitening gel because it is applied with custom-made trays that fit only the teeth and in-office systems block out your gums. You would feel it burning or tingling if it did, and your dentist would need to remove it immediately.

Take-home systems are much lower strength and safer because they are generally made with carbamide peroxide. Holistic dentists often prefer the take-home method because of this.  If you like your dentist and aren’t ready to make a switch ask and see if he has a take-home system that contains carbamide peroxide. An absolute all-natural solution that many people get results with over time would be brushing a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice on your teeth a couple times a week and leaving it there for a few minute. Be sure to rinse it off right away so that the acid in the lemon juice doesn’t damage your enamel.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about Find out why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

My teeth still look stained — even after Zoom whitening

Posted on by smiles4u.

I was so excited to get Zoom whitening, but it’s been two days since I had the procedure and I am kind of disappointed. I guess I had much higher expectations, but overall, I feel like my teeth still look brownish and I was expecting a bright, white smile. Did my dentist do something wrong, or is there a limit to how white Zoom can make my teeth?  — Alyssa in Memphis

Alyssa,
Zoom whitening usually produces very rapid, drastic results — so much so that it’s often used on the many of the television makeover shows.

Because it’s so powerful, your dentist has to be careful that you are not getting too much at one time to minimize sensitivity. Depending on how heavily stained your teeth were before treatment, it could take a couple of sessions to get the results you desire. Professional-grade systems like Zoom can also take a couple of days for the color to stabilize. You should actually notice your teeth becoming a little whiter as long as you try to avoid things that will stain them again.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about Find out why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Can I whiten my teeth inexpensively at home?

Posted on by smiles4u.

A few years ago, I was able to save up so I could afford an in-office bleaching procedure. I was very happy with the results, but I really can’t afford to do it again. I’d love to find a cheaper alternative that I could do at home, but will I be able to achieve the same results?
–Sam

Sam,
Just imagine living in during 17th or 18th century where teeth whitening meant saving down your teeth and bathing them in acid. Thankfully, for us, teeth whitening has come a long way since then and you now have all sorts of options to choose from depending on your budget, how quickly you want to get the job done or how white you want to go.

Today, most dental offices offer custom-made whitening trays. While you’ll get similar results as the in-office treatments, it takes longer. The trays are yours to keep for later use, so that means only a one-time expense as long as you take good care of them and there are no changes to your mouth. The only thing you need to do is purchase the whitening gel from your dentist as needed.

If you’re lucky enough, some dentists offer free bleaching trays and gel on a regular basis at your first visit as in incentive to continue with routine cleanings and check-ups.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about Find out why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.