Getting your teeth bleached can be a fantastic experience: you come out of the dentist's office sporting clean, shiny pearly whites that are sure to turn more than just a few heads.
There are inherent risks however that come about when one takes on teeth bleaching methods, whether these are natural or artificial. Know these risks firsthand so you can be prepared for what can happen after you get some bleaching done.
Firstly, improper applied bleaching gels can cause chemical burns on your gums, tongue and inner linings of the mouth. Bleaching agents use powerful oxidizing chemicals to neutralize the teeth stains and in the wrong hands, these chemicals can spill all over your mouth creating a nasty burn. Always get your bleach done by only the most competent dental personnel with excellent feedback from previous clients. Do not trust teeth care to amateurs who might not know what they are doing.
Another bleaching risk is known as over-bleaching. Having fantastic pearly whites is great but having too white teeth can be a little disconcerting. You obviously don't want to become the flashlight in a conversation with friends out in the field very late one afternoon. Over-bleaching is caused by the oxidizing agents doing far too much than what was desired, either because too much was applied or that they were not neutralized soon enough. Talk to your dentist to have the problem fixed so you don't elicit glances reserved for the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.
Rebound effects are also fairly common among bleaching patients. This happens when the tooth soon loses the bleaching effect and the old color comes back quicker than expected. The best remedy is to talk to your dentist at once; maybe the treatments are not strong enough to eliminate the stains or you have some sort of dental condition that exempts from you from the effects of bleaching. Detailed doctor-patient discussions are bound to give you the right treatment method so don't easily lose faith.
Lastly, teeth might become more sensitive after bleaching when the inner nerve endings are partially activated due to thinned enamel and dentin. One can ask for a tooth jacket to remedy this problem or lay low from foods that heighten teeth sensitivity such as too hot or too cold drinks.
The care for your teeth ultimately falls on you so be informed of the consequences of any dental treatment that you take. Be your own best adviser against what works and what won't so you are not left pouting when everything else is said and done.