How To Reduce Sensitivity After Teeth Whitening – 5 Tips & Recommendations

Teeth whitening from Santo Dental Group is a simple, fast, and affordable way to brighten your smile and enhance your self-confidence. Unfortunately, some patients find that in-office and take-home whitening treatments can make their teeth quite sensitive.

While this is only a temporary issue, it can be uncomfortable. So if you’re experiencing whitening-induced teeth sensitivity, here are a few simple tips and strategies you can use to enhance your comfort after teeth whitening. 

1. Keep Brushing Your Teeth Regularly

Make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day with a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Brush for two minutes and make sure you clean every surface of your teeth. 

This is important because the fluoride in toothpaste helps strengthen your enamel, which is weakened slightly by the teeth whitening process. As your teeth attract minerals and become stronger, the effects of whitening-induced sensitivity will be reduced. 

2. Consider Sensodyne Or A Similar Anti-Sensitivity Toothpaste

Anti-sensitivity toothpaste like Sensodyne uses special chemicals that have been shown to help reduce sensitivity over time. Consistently using anti-sensitivity toothpaste throughout your whitening treatment and after it’s complete will help you reduce overall levels of pain and sensitivity.

Just make sure you choose a product that contains fluoride and has the ADA seal of acceptance. This is the best way to make sure you’re choosing a toothpaste that’s safe for your teeth. 

3. Avoid Extremely Hot Or Cold Foods And Drinks

Drinking boiling hot coffee or eating ice-cold ice cream should be avoided when your teeth are sensitive, for obvious reasons. Teeth sensitivity is made worse by really hot and cold foods and drinks, so they should be avoided.

You may also want to avoid really crunchy or tough foods such as popcorn or beef jerky for a little bit. These foods could also make your sensitivity worse, since they require a lot of chewing force. 

4. Take Over-The-Counter Painkillers Like Ibuprofen 

Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen, and aspirin are quite effective at managing teeth sensitivity, particularly when paired with the other recommendations on this list. Consult the label and make sure you take the proper dosage of these medications. 

A topical treatment like Orajel is also an option, but this is usually not necessarily for minor tooth sensitivity, and these topical pain relievers are quite expensive. Still, this is an option if other treatment methods aren’t working for you.

5. Talk To Your Dentist Before Your Treatment

If your teeth are naturally sensitive, we recommend talking with your dentist at Santo Dental Group and discussing the issue before your whitening treatment begins. They may recommend that you whiten your teeth more gradually.

That may mean less time whitening each day with take-home whitening, or scheduling multiple, shorter in-office appointments. Reducing the intensity of teeth whitening usually also helps reduce whitening-induced sensitivity.

Contact Santo Dental Group To Get A Brighter Smile In Red Bank 

We hope these tips have been helpful if you’re whitening your teeth. And if you’re still not sure whether or not whitening is a good option for you, Santo Dental Group is here to help. Contact us online or give us a call at (732) 530-1003 to schedule a consultation in Red Bank and explore your options for a brighter smile.