I have been embarrassed by my smile of late. I don’t like how my teeth look whenever I see my smile in a mirror. I wanted to get some teeth whitening done and I’d love to do it fast. I heard Zoom Whitening was the fastest. The problem I have is that I am on blood thinners. Are there any risks for me with this procedure?
Madilyn
Dear Madilyn,
Our smiles are one of the first things people notice about us. First impressions are important so we always want to put our best smile forward. Teeth whitening is a great way to do that. Not only is it inexpensive, as far as cosmetic procedures go, but this simple procedure can make you look years (sometimes decades) younger.
Zoom Whitening is a fantastic choice to whiten your teeth as quickly as possible. In fact, it will dramatically whiten your teeth in just one office visit. At no time during the procedure is a sharp instrument used. Your lips will be retracted and then your gums will be protected with a coating. Then the whitening gel is applied to your teeth and the special light is used to kick start the process. As long as your gums are healthy, there should be no problems.
That being said, if you are dealing with gum disease then I would suggest getting that under control before having your teeth whitening done. With blood thinners, you do not clot as easily. Because of that, any bleeding can be dangerous. Combine that with periodontal disease which causes your gums to bleed easily, sometimes even just with pressure and that is not a good mix.
My suggestion is to talk to your doctor about the health of your gums. If they are healthy then I see no reason why blood thinners would prohibit you from moving forward.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.