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Is Tooth Whitening Safe for Kids?

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Kids that consume a lot of sugary candy and soda are also susceptible to food stains on their teeth, which can give them a yellow appearance. But

the question is: is tooth whitening safe for kids?

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The Risks

In many tooth whitening strips, they use a concentration of hydrogen per-oxide to give a bright, white smile, but the use of hydrogen peroxide on teeth can result in tooth sensitivity if used often or in high concentration.

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The Risks

For this reason, experts recommend that children wait until age 14 or later before they start using any form of tooth whitening to ensure that

their tooth pulp has fully formed.

With young teeth, high-concentration whitening approaches like whiten-ing strips or green light treatments can result in tooth sensitivity and make teeth more prone to cavities and soreness. Because of this, we

recommend waiting until age 17 or later to use whitening strips or green light treatments.

The position of The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is that over-the-counter tooth whitening products are too new and have not been studied enough to form a robust scientific consensus. There’s more

research to do, so until better information emerges they caution against allowing young people to use products like whitening strips.

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What to Keep in Mind

For children who insist on going ahead with some form of with tooth whitening, there are a few things to take into consideration. Let the

family dentist know what’s going on as soon as possible and seek their opinion. Dentists are a much more reliable source

than most online information.

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What to Keep in Mind

It is best to wait to use any whitening products until after all of the child’s baby teeth have fallen out and every adult tooth is fully grown in and settled. Whitening a child’s teeth too early may create variations in

the coloring and bleaching of the child’s teeth.

It is also best to wait until all orthodontic treatment has been completed. Braces and retainer are meant to move and shift the child’s teeth into the

proper position so the alignment will be different after they’ve been taken off than before. Picture suntan lines, only on the teeth. Waiting until your child is done with braces will prevent any bleaching lines on

your child’s teeth from appearing after orthodontic treatment.

Kids who use whitening strips need to be supervised. Without adult supervision, the strips can be left on too long or even swallowed by

accident if the child is not paying close enough attention. This can be damaging to both the child’s teeth and their health respectively.

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Stain Prevention

Those who’re not good candidates for tooth whitening still have options. They can still use a whitening toothpaste to scrub away food

and whiten their teeth while they clean them. It’s also a good idea to avoid food and drink that are most

likely to result in staining.

Whitening Options Near You!

347 Greenwood Street Worcester, MA 01607

(508) 791-4000friendlydentalofworcester.com

1438 Grafton StWorcester, MA 01604

(508) 753-5488uniquedentalofworcester.com

23 Cedar StTaunton, MA 02780

(508) 822-1281tauntondentalcenter.com

158 North Main StUxbridge, MA 01569

(508) 278-2015uxbridgefamilydental.com

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