Burned Gums From Teeth Whitening: What You Need To Know

What Causes Gum Irritation During Whitening?

Over-the-counter tooth whitening products include toothpaste and products with bleaching agents, such as whitening strips, gels, rinses, and gel trays.

Typically, whitening toothpaste contains little or no bleaching agents, but helps brighten your teeth by scrubbing away stains. These kinds of toothpaste are less likely to irritate or burn the gums if they contain no hydrogen peroxide. You might experience some irritation if you brush too hard, but the ingredients themselves are unlikely to cause any problems.

Tooth whitening products with bleaching agents usually contain either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. A study by the Cochrane Library, headquartered in the United Kingdom, found that gum irritation is one of two common problems when using teeth whiteners with a higher concentration of bleaching agents. (Tooth sensitivity is the other problem.) When using teeth whiteners correctly, however, the irritation was temporary and mild.

Besides feeling a chemical burn, you'll recognise gum irritation during the whitening process if your gums develop white spots or parts of your gum turn white. Your gums might also feel tender.

What You Can Do to Soothe Your Gums

Let's say you're in the middle of a whitening treatment at home, and you feel a slight burning in your gums. What can you do?

First, stop the treatment: Remove the tray or the whitening product. Don't wait until the burning gets worse!

Then, rinse your mouth: Rinsing with warm saltwater swishes away any lingering bleaching product and soothes the irritation.

As long as you stop the bleaching treatment quickly, the good news is that gum irritation usually resolves on its own after a few days. Saltwater rinses will help relieve discomfort during recovery. If needed, over-the-counter pain relievers can dull the irritation or burning feeling.

If your burns seem severe or cause you concern in any way, it's a good idea to visit your dentist's office. By examining the injury, your dental professional should be able to tell whether at-home treatment will be enough or if you should consider other options to relieve your injured gums.

How to Prevent Burned Gums from Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is generally safe, as long as you take a few precautions. Remember to:

• Read: Review all product directions carefully, then follow them exactly as written.
• Wipe: If the whitening agent comes anywhere near your gums, wipe it off immediately with a soft, damp swab. This typically happens when using a one-size-fits-all, ill-fitting gel tray or applying too much gel.
• Pay Attention: It's worth emphasising that you should not keep the whitening agent on any longer than the manufacturer recommends. Rinse it off if you experience discomfort at any time.
• Heal: Give your gums a break. If you had to cut short your teeth whitening time because of gum irritation, don't start the whitening process again until a few days after your gums have fully recovered.

You might also consider using non-peroxide whitening products on the market. Some are marketed as containing only natural ingredients – these products might have their own side effects, including gum irritation, so read the ingredients and directions with care.

Though consumer teeth whiteners contain much lower bleaching agent concentrations than products used in your dentist's office, you may want to consider professional tooth whitening. In a dental office, you're in a controlled setting with dental professionals taking every precaution to protect your teeth and gums. They can also monitor any irritation that may occur.

If you have no time for professional teeth whitening, why not ask your dentist for a custom-fitted gel tray to use at home? Ask your dental professional to demonstrate how to apply whitening gel into the tray properly.

We all want a dazzling white smile. But in getting that brilliant smile, you don't want your gums to turn white (or red) from bleaching agents. Make sure you recognise when your gums are burning or feel irritated, so you can take steps to soothe your gingival tissue. Next time you whiten your teeth, take preventive measures so that, when you smile, your teeth dazzle and your gums look pink and healthy.

Disclaimer:

The above information is provided for informational purposes only. Colgate does not accept any liability should the above recommendations have an outcome contrary to the intended result. Always seek the advice of a qualified doctor or dental professional. Do not disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in this article.