Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dental treatment options today—and for good reason. A brighter smile can boost your confidence and help you feel more comfortable in social and professional settings. But when you have a dental issue like a cavity, it’s natural to wonder how this can impact the aspirations you have for your smile. While you shouldn’t whiten your teeth if you have untreated cavities, visiting your dentist for assistance is a sure way to get things back on track and guarantee successful cosmetic results. Here’s what you need to know.
Why You Shouldn’t Whiten Teeth with Cavities
A cavity is a hole in your tooth that’s caused by decay, and it greatly weakens the structure of your enamel, or the outermost layer that gives teeth their color and protects them from bacteria. When you apply whitening agents to decayed teeth, several problems can arise:
- Increased sensitivity or pain, since the products can seep into the inner, more delicate layers of the affected teeth.
- Worsening of decay, since bleaching agents can sometimes irritate or damage exposed nerves and slow down the healing or restorative process once the cavity has been treated.
- Uneven color, since whitening doesn’t change the color of existing restorations or fillings, and decayed areas may also respond differently to bleaching agents.
How Your Dentist Can Treat Cavities
Before starting any whitening treatment, it’s important to have your dentist examine your smile and ensure that you’re a suitable candidate. Tooth decay is one of the most common health issues in the world, meaning that treating it is fairly routine for dentists!
Fillings are the go-to method for cavities, but for serious infections that reach the pulp, or innermost portion of the tooth, a root canal followed by a dental crown restoration is often the preferred method. With any cavity, large or small, your dentist will work closely with you to ensure that your treatment plan prioritizes the long-term health of your smile—that way, you can focus on keeping things healthy so when the time comes for teeth whitening.
Fortunately, if you are suffering from a cavity, it’s very much something that can be treated—and once your oral health is back on track, attention can be turned to improving your pearly whites!
About the Practice
Our team here at We Smile Dental of Arlington has proudly served the dental needs of patients in Arlington and the nearby DFW metroplex for several years, offering a wide variety of services, including cosmetic options like teeth whitening. We’d be more than happy to speak with you about your smile goals; feel free to visit us online or call today for more information or to schedule an appointment! Telephone: (682) 452-1150.