Many people experience no side effects at all from professional teeth whitening. When following directions properly, and under the supervision of your dentist, teeth whitening is incredibly safe and has no lasting side effects. If you use too much gel or try to hurry the process along by whitening too frequently, you could run into trouble.
When you use too much whitening gel and it oozes out of your trays and onto your gums, your gums can become irritated and even damaged, sloughing off and having white, damaged tissue. That is why it is so important to use only the recommended amount of whitening gel in your trays. Usually one small dot per tooth is enough.
Whitening too frequently can also cause discomfort and shooting pain or sensitivity when you drink cold beverages or breathe in cold air. You might be whitening too frequently. We know you are excited to improve your appearance, but you will feel more comfortable if you only whiten your teeth a few times a week instead of every single day.
If you experience sensitivity, take a break from whitening until the symptoms subside. If they continue, give us a call and we can suggest some products that might help reduce your symptoms enough that you can complete your treatment.