Can tooth whitening damage teeth?

Tooth whitening prove great to show off that wonderful smile, but this procedure is not without side-effects and can actually damage the teeth. Studies prove that there is increased sensitivity after a teeth bleaching procedure, as prolonged exposure to bleaching agents have actually lead to damage of tooth enamel causing irritation and increased sensitivity in the teeth.

There could be complete dissolution of the enamel rod prism and other complications like gum infection. In addition tooth whitening done at home could have a further complication of ingestion of the bleaching gel, followed by a burning sensation and nausea.

While professional teeth whitening aims at minimizing minimum sensitivity, good results generally depend to a large extent on the viscosity, pH, stability and the rate at which the chemical carbamide break up into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.

However in general practice some teeth whitener manufacturers prefer to accelerate the procedure with adding heat to these products. These products may reduce time, but could lead to bleaching agent actually exposing the dentin; microscopic particles of the inner tooth and cause heightened sensitivity.