Does Professional Teeth Whitening Hurt? Everything You Need To Know

If you’re looking to improve your smile in Modesto, professional teeth whitening from Downey Park Family Dentistry may be right for you. But you may also be worried about pain and discomfort during the professional take-home whitening process. Does professional teeth whitening hurt? Read on to learn more, and we’ll discuss the specifics of pain, discomfort, and sensitivity during the teeth whitening process.

The Professional Take-Home Teeth Whitening Process Is Completely Non-Invasive

At Downey Park Family Dentistry, our Modesto dentists offer professional take-home teeth whitening treatment. There’s no drilling, needles, or any other invasive treatment needed for this process. You’ll just come into our office and meet with Dr. Corey Acree, and he will take impressions of your teeth, which will be sent to our dental lab.

Our dental lab will build a set of custom-fitted, reusable whitening trays that will fit over your teeth perfectly, providing even results. Once your trays are ready, you come back to Downey Park Family Dentistry and Dr. Acree will try in your trays, making sure they fit perfectly, provide you with a set of whitening products, and instructions on how to use them. Then, you’ll usually whiten your teeth for about an hour per day at home. We will have you back in the office in a few weeks to check your progress and discuss any questions you may have. 

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Your Teeth May Feel Sensitive During Your Take-Home Whitening Treatment

So, what about once you start whitening your teeth at home? Does professional teeth whitening hurt or make your teeth sensitive? The short answer is “it depends.” Some patients are very sensitive to the bleaching materials used to whiten teeth, and may feel some discomfort during the whitening process. Others may feel no significant discomfort at all.

Professional take-home whitening helps reduce sensitivity compared to over-the-counter treatments. If your teeth are sensitive, Dr. Acree will take this into account when developing your treatment and recommend a lower concentration of the whitening agent. Your custom whitening trays also help prevent the whitener from contacting your gums, which reduces discomfort during treatment.

Also, wearing your trays after bleaching with a small amount of fluoride gel can help reduce sensitivity. If you are concerned about sensitivity, please be sure to discuss with Dr. Acree. 

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How Do I Deal With Sensitivity During Professional Teeth Whitening?

If you’re struggling with sensitivity during the teeth whitening process, you're not alone. And there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your discomfort as you brighten your smile:

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• Take pain medication – Over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can help with whitening-induced sensitivity, so feel free to take your preferred pain medication to reduce discomfort.
  
  
• Avoid really hot and cold foods/drinks – Extremely hot or cold foods or drinks can trigger tooth sensitivity, so we recommend avoiding these for at least 1-2 hours once you remove your whitening trays.

• Use fluoride gel in your trays - Place a small amount of fluoride gel in your clean bleaching trays after a session of bleaching. Wear your trays with fluoride for at least 30 minutes. Ask us about the fluoride gel we recommend.
  
  
• Use anti-sensitivity toothpaste – Sensodyne and other anti-sensitivity toothpaste can help reduce discomfort while whitening your smile, so switching to a product that’s meant to fight back against sensitivity is a good idea.
  
  
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush – Using a toothbrush with softer bristles may help with sensitivity and discomfort, since firmer bristles could cause some discomfort if you have very sensitive teeth.
  
  

Come To Downey Park Family Dentistry If You Want A Brighter Smile In Modesto

At Downey Park Family Dentistry, Dr. Corey Acree specializes in professional take-home teeth whitening in Modesto, CA. Even if you have sensitive teeth, we can work with you to develop a teeth whitening treatment routine that will protect and brighten your smile while reducing any discomfort you may have. So don’t wait. Contact us online or call now at (209) 529-0674 to schedule a consultation and take the first steps toward a brighter, more beautiful smile today.