If you want to brighten your tooth color, your dentist can recommend professional teeth whitening treatment that will give you the pearly white smile of your dreams. Under the supervision of your expert cosmetic dentist, you can see a brighter shade in your tooth color that looks both beautiful and natural in your smile.
However, you might wonder if the process of lifting and removing dental discoloration will hurt or otherwise feel uncomfortable. Modern dental practices prioritize the well-being and comfort of their patients, including during cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening. So you can rest assured that whitening your teeth will not be painful.
But you might feel more confident about undergoing smile enhancement treatment when you know more about the process. Learn more about how your dentist can ensure your comfort during teeth whitening treatment when you read on.
Is the Teeth Whitening Process Painful?
Many people can have dental anxiety, which commonly stems from the anticipation of pain during dental work. You can feel more at ease in the dentist’s chair with the knowledge that teeth whitening treatment does not hurt.
This in-office procedure involves the dentist giving you a bleaching gel through specially designed trays that fit over the teeth. The trays seal out saliva and other potential irritants. This way, the bleaching product has time and space to absorb into your teeth. The bleaching agents lift stubborn discoloration within your teeth to the surface.
Then the dentist can easily wash away the stains from the teeth, leaving your smile brighter within one dental appointment. At no point does the dentist use invasive maneuvers that might cause you discomfort during this process.
Will I Experience Tooth Sensitivity After Whitening Treatment?
Some dental patients worry that the teeth whitening process might make their teeth feel sensitive or leave them with uncomfortable side effects. Tooth sensitivity refers to a type of oral pain that feels sharp when a stimulus touches the tooth but fades with the item’s removal.
The pain occurs when the enamel, the outer layer of the tooth, weakens, allowing external forces to touch nerves within the tooth’s interior that can transmit pain signals to the brain. The whitening products your dentist uses during this cosmetic treatment are specifically designed to avoid this side effect.
Your dentist has the training and expertise to ensure proper application of whitening products to the teeth. With their supervision and care, you will not have to worry about side effects. You can also see limited risk of gum irritation with professional whitening treatment compared to over-the-counter whitening products.
If you want to further eliminate the risk of tooth sensitivity or other discomforts after teeth whitening treatment, pay attention to your dentist’s aftercare instructions. They will ask you to avoid foods and beverages that might aggravate your enamel, such as acidic or sugary snacks. Maintain good oral hygiene to stop plaque and other build-up from weakening your dental structure as well.