I think my teeth are destroyed because of teeth whitening. I was interested in getting my teeth whitened and got a quote from my dentist. It was reasonable, but still a good chunk of money for me personally. I told him I’d probably do it but want a few days to think about it. Of course, he agreed. The next day, I was in the mall and there was this teeth whitening “store”. They had a girl out there handing out a coupon to draw in customers. They were already cheaper than my dentist and with the coupon, it would have been half the price. I asked some questions and they explained each of their employees in patient care were certified teeth whitening specialists and had to pass a course to work there. That put me at ease and I felt like they knew what they were doing. I was seriously wrong. My gums feel like they’re on fire. I’m absolutely miserable. Last night, I couldn’t even sleep from the pain. Plus, my teeth don’t match and are blotchy. Neither my dental crown nor any of my fillings seemed to have whitened. It looks weird. I’m worried my teeth are ruined. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
Tamsin
Dear Tamsin,
There are a few things going on here. First, you should know there is no such thing as a certified teeth whitening specialist. It’s possible it’s a “crash course” they’ve made up to train their employees. If it is, they’re not doing a great job.
In fact, they’ve made quite a few mistakes. Let’s start with your gums. The only reason they could be in so much agony as if they neglected to protect your gums during the teeth whitening procedure. The pain is essentially a severe sunburn on your gums. I’m sure you’ve tried some over-the-counter pain reliever. That and some salt water rinses are pretty much all you can do, but the pain should start to lessen soon.
The blotchy and mismatched work is something completely different. They should have told you that teeth whitening only works on natural tooth structure, not dental work. That’s why they stayed the same color while your teeth became brighter.
Replace Your Dental Work After Teeth Whitening
In order to get them to match your brighter color, you’ll need to replace the dental work. You’ll want to replace the fillings and the crown. Hopefully, your dentist gave you an all-porcelain crown originally. If not, this is the time to get one. They look much more natural than their metal-based cousins.
I’m sorry you are suffering. I’m also sorry they didn’t give you all the information. Your dentist will be able to sort this out for you. Before long, you’ll have a gorgeous smile you are proud to show off.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker