Can you help me make a decision? I went to the dentist recently and it turned out I have two small cavities on visible parts of my teeth. My dentist told me that if I was going to whiten my teeth that now was the time. It would be the only way to make sure the fillings match my teeth. I was all set to do that and scheduled the appointment for the whitening. However, when I looked online to get an idea of what to expect, I kept reading that I should not do teeth whitening if I have cavities. I’m so confused now. Why would my dentist recommend I do?
Felicity
Dear Felicity,
This is sort of a catch-22 situation. Your dentist is correct that whitening your teeth after you fill the cavities will mean having to redo the fillings in order to get them to match your teeth. That being said, some people experience tooth sensitivity when they do teeth whitening. If you have cavities, there is a much greater opportunity for the whitening gel to get close to the nerves causing sensitivity. This can be quite uncomfortable.
Getting your teeth whitened first will save you the time and expense of redoing the fillings. Your cavities are likely small or I doubt your dentist would have even mentioned for you to have the whitening done. There are some ways to reduce sensitivity ahead of time to make the process easier. Your dentist can provide you with a fluoride gel to use leading up to the whitening. They could even do some in-office treatments with a fluoride varnish.
With a small amount of decay, I would say go forward with the whitening. If you have severe decay you may want to pause and talk to your dentist about your valid concern.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.