I’m terrified I made a decision that has ruined my teeth. I’ve always wanted teeth whitening. A teeth whitening center opened up in my local mall. I wandered in, curious, but unsure it was legitimate. The lady I spoke with told me she was a certified teeth whitening specialist who’s been professionally trained. I agreed and got the procedure done. I’m regretting it now. My gums feel like they’re on fire and everywhere I have a filling, looks dark and blotchy. Can this be fixed or are my teeth ruined?
Maura – Kentucky
Maura,
Your teeth aren’t ruined, but this mall shop made a lot of mistakes. First, you should know there is no such thing as an official “certified teeth whitening specialist”. That sounds like a title her company made up. Whatever their training process is, it’s definitely ineffective or incomplete.
If a dentist did your teeth whitening, they would have taken steps to protect your gums during the procedure. The reason they feel on fire is because the center didn’t do that, which exposed your teeth to the whitening chemicals. Some over the counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen, will help. Eventually, the burning will calm down.
The fillings are a completely different matter. Fillings don’t whiten along with your teeth. That’s why they look so splotchy. The center should have warned you about this. Your fillings will have to be re-done to match the new color of your teeth. Get with your dentist and you can arrange the best schedule for doing this. I’d wait until the pain to your gums has subsided, though.
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