Articles

How to whiten your teeth without the sensitivity worries

Teeth Whitening :: Articles :: How to whiten your teeth without the sensitivity worries

Many people worry about their sensitive teeth when it comes to whitening them. They worry that the process will remove enamel making their already sensitive teeth hurt even more. There is a way to help ease the sensitivity of your teeth if you have been putting off whitening your teeth because of it. It is called the process of remineralizing your teeth. This is actually recommended for anyone who has sensitive teeth but a real necessity for those who actually go through a bleaching process.

You should first of all know that all bleaching gels cause some degree of sensitivity. Some people have come to expect the discomfort that comes with whitening their teeth and are have even resolved their self to deal with it due to the benefits of the whitening process. Some dentists will recommend treatments for sensitivity or a remineralization of the teeth. This is the process of restoring the minerals that our teeth contain after bleaching has taken place. You can manage this in several different ways such as toothpastes, pre-filled trays and gels.

The process by which our teeth become remineralized is this:

• Foods that we eat deposit minerals in our system which in turn is present in our saliva. By not eating a proper diet or not chewing our food sufficiently we may end up with mineral poor saliva.
• Carbonic acid is needed for strong teeth. There is only a miniscule fraction of the carbon dioxide that we breathe that is converted into carbonic acid.
• This carbonic acid molecule has to be produced in close proximity to a mineral molecule that is then dissolved into the carbonic acid molecule.
• This all has to happen in close proximity to a demineralized spot in the latticework of the tooth that requires the mineral.
• This spot on the tooth has to be clean so that it is accessible by the mineral.
• The carbonic acid must finally convert to carbon dioxide and water where a mineral is precipitated out of the solution and into the structure of the enamel.

By using remineralization to help rebuild the enamel on your teeth, you can whiten your teeth without worrying about the sensitivity that occurs with whitening.

Toothpastes that help rebuild tooth enamel should be used throughout the whitening process. This is effective only if you are using bleach on your teeth. Most whitening toothpastes do not use bleach so there is no fear of demineralizing your teeth with whitening pastes. Pre-filled trays that are used for remineralizing your teeth should be used either before or after the whitening and in some instances both before and after depending on the extent of the sensitivity. Gels can be used with the same custom trays that are used for whitening teeth. They are usually used for a period of 30 minutes before or after whitening or both. It is highly advisable to begin remineralizing your teeth if you are bleaching your teeth to help desensitize your teeth.