At Home Whitening & Your Teen




It is the preference of many teens to have a healthy, white smile. While puberty sets in and they become more self-conscious they may conduct experiments at home to whiten their teeth or to change what they do not like about their smile. If they have braces, you may notice them smiling less. No matter the trend, at home whitening kits for teens should be done carefully and after some research.

Some at home products contain a precut piece that is placed in the mouth. Since it is not custom made, it can cut into the back of the mouth, opening your child up for an infection. This mouth-piece in these kits is not measured to fit the unique shape of their mouth, which is so important.

When whitening is not supervised, many times it can mean your teen could end up with a higher level of sensitivity to hot and cold items. Inside each tooth is a pulp chamber, which contains the blood supply for a tooth.  Dr. Fuller states, “In a teen’s tooth, the pulp chamber is closer to the surface and is larger than on an adult.” Why is this important? Extreme sensitivity can decrease the nutrients they are consuming and cause problems with weight and healthy eating.

While whitening for some teens is an option, Pediatric dentist Dr. Cameron Fuller recommends if your teen wants to whiten their teeth, they do so under the supervision of a dentist who can monitor them.


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