Peer pressure can have a tremendous impact on your 'tween or teen's self-esteem. One of the trends we see is children under the age of 18 whitening their teeth. Whitening at this stage in their tooth development is risky.
Self-esteem is fragile. Your child might have a nice smile, but dark teeth, for example. They may feel as if their dark teeth kisses goodbye that invitation to sit next to a special someone during the pep assembly.
A child who has both primary and permanent teeth and who uses an over-the-counter whitening product without your knowledge can end up with teeth of drastically different shades of white. That's because primary teeth have a thinner layer of enamel than permanent teeth.
Whitening agents can wear away enamel, especially if improperly used on primary teeth where the enamel is thinner. An indication is that suddenly your child's teeth are sensitive to cold beverages or foods, or a sharp pain stabs down the center of their teeth. They might also complain that their gums tingle or hurt from the whitening agent.
Not following directions or improper application could also result in serious damage to tissues that help support the teeth as well as a tooth's root.
Some teens who have become addicted to whitening experience extreme tooth sensitivity and have teeth with blue-ish, translucent edges [top photo].
There's not a lot of research yet on the long-term effects of whitening at this age level, but some think that there is a possibility of permanently damaging the tooth pulp (contains nerves and blood).
If your 'tween or teen wants to whiten, let us examine his or her teeth to determine if whitening will be safe and appropriate. We can identify dental problems that will need to be addressed prior to whitening, then, create a whitening procedure suitable for your child.
Houston dentist
Minh Nguyen, D.D.S.
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