{"id":227,"date":"2024-10-17T17:54:49","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T17:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=227"},"modified":"2024-11-15T17:55:29","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T17:55:29","slug":"can-i-whiten-my-teeth-if-i-have-cavities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/2024\/10\/17\/can-i-whiten-my-teeth-if-i-have-cavities\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Whiten My Teeth if I Have Cavities?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Do you have stained or discolored teeth? If so, you may be considering using an over-the-counter tooth whitening treatment. But DIY oral health care can be a dangerous idea, especially if you have undiagnosed cavities lurking in your mouth. Here\u2019s why when it comes to your teeth, some things are best left to your dentist!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Cavities and Teeth Whitening<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common side-effects of tooth whitening products is sensitivity.  OTC kits contain lower concentrations of active ingredients, so people often think they\u2019re somehow better or \u201csafer\u201d than professional treatments. Unfortunately, however, this is simply not true, because when you use diluted ingredients, your treatment will take longer. This means you will have extended exposure to them, and by default, extended sensitivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason whitening causes sensitivity is that the active ingredients make their way into the layers of your teeth and can reach delicate nerves. Under ideal conditions when teeth are healthy, this can cause discomfort when exposed to hot or cold. Thankfully, this effect is mild and temporary, but the longer you subject your teeth to these ingredients, the longer it will take for the pain to go away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have cavities, your teeth are already more sensitive. Adding in the external influence of whitening agents can make that pain even more intense and long lasting. You can even cause them permanent damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Professional Teeth Whitening is Better<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to working much faster, professional teeth whitening<\/a> is done under the watchful eye of your dentist. This means your treatment can be customized to your specific needs so it can be completed sooner, and with better results than an OTC product. Furthermore, your dentist requires a pre-whitening consultation. This is done to ensure that your teeth and gums are in good health before introducing powerful whitening chemicals that could cause sensitivity and permanent damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve been given a clean bill of oral health, you can proceed with your treatment. But unlike those OTC kits, you will not need to be exposed to powerful chemicals for weeks and weeks to see results. In fact, professional take home kits work much faster because your dentist can adjust the concentration of ingredients to help achieve your smile goals. This means you can limit exposure and reduce sensitivity while getting better results!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, while OTC kits may be less expensive, those costs can add up over time with slower results and prolonged sensitivity. If you\u2019re looking for a way to brighten your smile, that really works, speak to your dentist today about professional whitening!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Our Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At Lyndon Family Dental<\/a>, we want to make you smile! That\u2019s why we offer a wide range of oral health services, including take-home professional teeth whitening kits. Let Dr. Rinoldo and Dr. Reid customize a treatment for you that will help you achieve the gorgeous grin you\u2019ve been dreaming of!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation, please visit our website<\/a> or call us today at 315-449-0711.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you have stained or discolored teeth? If so, you may be considering using an over-the-counter tooth whitening treatment. But DIY oral health care can be a dangerous idea, especially if you have undiagnosed cavities lurking in your mouth. Here\u2019s why when it comes to your teeth, some things are best left to your dentist!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":229,"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227\/revisions\/229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lyndonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}