Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures. It’s fast, easy, and can make a massive difference in how people look. More than that, just about everyone sometimes wishes that their smile could be a little bit brighter.
However, cosmetic dentistry is ideal for people who have otherwise healthy smiles that they want to improve the look of. If you have certain oral health problems, like cavities, you may want to have to deal with them before getting cosmetic dentistry. Here’s why that is, and how it may change the trajectory of cosmetic treatment for you.
Why is Getting Teeth Whitening With Cavities a Problem?
If you’re interested in getting teeth whitening, it’s crucially important that you deal with any outstanding tooth decay beforehand. This is because the whitening solution can irritate the interior of the tooth if it can sneak past the enamel.
Normally teeth whitening sensitivity isn’t all that much to worry about, but if the solution comes in contact with the tooth pulp, that can be pretty uncomfortable.
Can I Whiten My Teeth If I Have Cavities?
For that reason, it’s strongly recommended that you treat any tooth decay you’re dealing with before you go through the effort of getting teeth whitening. Ideally this can be done with a simple filling, which should only take a single appointment.
It’s really a good idea to get cavities treated no matter what—you’ll look and feel a lot better than if you let the tooth decay progress. If you’re interested in cosmetic dentistry, you can use that as an excuse to invest in your oral health as well.
The Dangers of Over-the-Counter Whitening
As you can see, it’s vitally important to have a solid understanding of how well your oral health is doing before undertaking any kind of cosmetic treatment. That’s part of why store-bought teeth whitening treatments are so dangerous—people often get them without realizing they have a cavity and wind up suffering for their mistake.
This is just one of many reasons why it’s recommended to steer clear of OTC whitening kits. You should leave dentistry to the professionals if you want professional-level results.
About the Author
At Cornerstone Dental, we can guarantee you that whatever brings you into our office, you’ll be able to get the care that you need to leave our practice smiling! We’re eager to offer you the dental care you need in an environment that will keep you completely comfortable for the duration of your stay here. We believe that dental care doesn’t have to be stressful and we’ll be happy to show you dentistry that can put you completely at ease.
If you have any questions about teeth whitening, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (701) 237-3583.