There are only temporary risks associated with teeth whitening products causing tooth sensitivity or irritating feeling of the soft tissues of the oral cavity, which is more confined to the gums. Tooth sensitivity is produced in the beginning of the application of bleaching products.

The tissue irritation often is caused because of the wrong fitting of the mouth piece tray and is not due to the bleaching agent used. After either reducing or stoppage of the application of bleaching agent, the irritation disappears within 2-3 days.

On observing the sensitivity one can decrease the use of tray or totally stop it depending upon, whether one can tolerate the degree of sensitivity present i.e. instead of 2 times for one hour one can reduce the sessions to half hour.

If the need be, one can give interruption of 2 days in the application and again start it, thus making a self suited adjustment in application.

To Counter Sensitization:

One can procure a high fluoride content product so that re-mineralization of the teeth can be done. The fluoride product procured can be applied for just 5 minutes on the tray before using the tray having bleach based whitening agent.

One can brush the teeth with tooth paste meant for treating sensitive teeth, which usually have Potassium Nitrate, which causes soothing effect to the affected nerve endings present in the teeth.

Safety Aspects of the Product:

The bleaching agents procured from the dentist office or application of, which has been made while attending the Dentist in-office service, ensures that the product has ADA seal on it and has full satisfaction of safety. The same is absent in on the counter products.

The product procured from dentist’s office has 10% carbamide peroxide, where the products applied at dentist’s in-office have 35 % strength hydrogen peroxide.

Teeth whitening service offered by dental in-office is of cosmetic nature requiring the use of per-oxides, application of which is made on teeth and exposure to laser source light in presence of which the peroxide becomes more active. One requires 2 to 3 such procedure sessions. The results obtained are better and fast.

The bleaching preparations made available on the counter does not have ADA seal, because organization involved in doing such a service feels, that the professional care of the person is highly desired in using such chemical products application on soft and sensitive tissues.

As a safety measure the products requiring use of laser light do not have ADA seal. Many whitening toothpastes sold at the counter do have ADA seal of acceptance. One can log on www.ada.org/prof/prac/seal/index.html to find which of the tooth pastes have ADA seal.

It is clarified that some manufacturers do not apply to get ADA seal of acceptance. ADA is on voluntary basis, requiring proper verification of the safety claimed and it requires expenditure on the part of manufacturer to apply and satisfy the standards prescribed by ADA agency, which are very strictly implied. The seal of ADA ensures safety as well efficacy factor of the product.

Teeth whitening products should not be used in pregnant women and those persons who are allergic to peroxides.

The teeth whitener products are not drugs, hence are not within regulatory functions of FDA.