Three Tips To Avoid Chemical Burns When Getting Teeth Professionally Whitened

Do you want to have a pearly white smile? Instead of relying on at-home teeth whitening treatments, get your teeth professionally whitened by a dentist. At-home teeth whitening treatments contain only 3% to 20% of peroxide whereas in-office treatments contain anywhere from 15% to 43%. You'll see a noticeable difference with professional teeth whitening treatments. But because of the higher concentration of peroxide in the bleaching agent, you might sustain chemical burns. Here are 3 tips on how you can avoid ever having to deal with this issue.

Ask for a Custom Fitted Tray

After scheduling a teeth whitening treatment, your dentist will normally give you the option of either getting custom fitted trays or going for the standard fitted trays. If you're interested in using a custom fitted tray that will perfectly hug your teeth, you'll usually need to schedule another appointment with your dentist several weeks before the teeth whitening treatment. During this appointment, the dentist will take a dental impression and send it off to the lab for your trays to be made.

Custom fitted trays not only provide better results due to a more even application of the bleaching gel, but it can also help you avoid chemical burns. As the impression hugs your teeth perfectly, there is less of a risk that the tray will go over your gums and expose them to the bleaching agent when your teeth are being whitened.

Double Check that All of the Gums Have Been Properly Covered

Before applying the bleaching gel and letting it work its magic, the dentist will spend a considerable amount of time covering your gums with some type of barrier. Some dentists will use rolls of cotton wool, and others may even use some sort of oil or resin to cover up your gums. The goal is to avoid getting any bleaching agents splashed onto your gums directly, as the chemicals in the bleaching agent will burn your gums when left there for long periods of time. Keep in mind that the edges of your gums may still be a bit vulnerable, as the bleaching agent may be able to seep under the barrier during the course of the treatment.

Regardless of the type of method that the dentist uses to cover your gums, you want to double check yourself that everything is covered up before giving the dentist permission to proceed. If you notice any exposed areas, ask the dentist to fix it first.

Stop the Procedure and Re-evaluate If You Experience Any Pain

Your teeth can start to feel more and more sensitive further into the treatment. Pay attention to your body to determine whether your teeth feel sensitive or if your gums are burning. If you feel that the pain is intolerable, stop the procedure immediately and have the dentist re-evaluate and examine your gums and teeth to determine if any issues have since arisen. If everything is covered up, you might want to ask the dentist to use a lower concentration bleaching agent or to leave the bleaching agent to work its magic for a shorter period of time.

Although it might seem inconvenient, it's best to stop the procedure, so that the situation will not worsen. Catching chemical burns as early as possible is vital in preventing the situation from worsening.

Professional teeth whitening treatments are not only quick, but they are effective. You'll notice a huge difference in the color of your teeth from when you stepped foot into the clinic and when you walked out. Most dentists are careful enough to ensure that you won't sustain any chemical burns from the bleaching agent; however, you can implement the 3 tips mentioned in this article to further protect yourself. For more information, contact local professionals like Picone Dental - Vincent J Picone DDS.