Is it safe to whiten my child’s teeth? If so, which kind?

If your dentist determines that your child’s teeth are in fact darker than normal and your child is concerned with their appearance, then there are a few things to consider. I get this question often, and my answer is always the same: wait until your child is at least 18. There isn’t necessarily a specific age that is appropriate for your child to use whiteners. I base my opinion on what little research exists on the use of whitening agents in adolescents. Always consult your family dentist prior to trying any over-the-counter whiteners on your child.

As you may or may not know, there are several ways to whiten teeth. All have one similar feature: the use of a whitening agent such as hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide or other agents. Some techniques use a special light during the application of the whitener to enhance whiteness (i.e., Zoom Whitening Sytem). Others use customized trays in which the whitener is placed and worn on the teeth for a certain period of time and for a certain length of time. These are both considered to be professional grade whiteners, and my personal preference is for the custom tray method, as whitening can be controlled by the patient and there is typically less sensitivity. Over-the-counter methods include “Crest Whitestrips” and its “Rembrandt” competitor.

Whitening agents can cause sensitivity to both the teeth and gums, and can sometimes be much more exaggerated in young teeth. This can be a painful experience, and quite troubling for teens and adolescents. The other main concern, particularly with the accompaniment of the light accelerator, is damage to the nerve tissue within the tooth (also called dental pulp). Few studies have been done on teeth whitening in adolescents, but some hypotheses of whitening in youth are, that it could cause damage (either irreversible or reversible) to a child’s teeth. This thought pertains to any method used for whitening.

Damage to the pulp can be reversible or irreversible and so symptoms may be as minimal as sensitivity, but can also result in death of the dental pulp. If death of the pulp occurs, a root canal is then needed to permanently eliminate the pain. There are not a lot of studies done in this area, because as you can image it raises some ethical dilemmas in order to gather the data. In adults, however, whitening is considered to be very safe and non-damaging, assuming you follow the direction for the brand of whitener. Though adults may experience some sensitivity, generally it is transient and not a problem.

So, my personal philosophy is, I don’t whiten teeth unless the child is at least eighteen, so that the tooth tissue has time to mature. If the child’s teeth appear to inadequately matured, regardless of age, I may still suggest waiting a little while. This maturity will hopefully allow for minimal sensitivity and hopefully no tooth damage. While in general whitening teeth is perfectly safe, we still must use caution when considering them as options.

Tags: Accelerator, Accompaniment, Adolescents, Competitor, Crest Whitestrips, Dental Pulp, Family Dentist, Hydrogen Peroxide, Hypotheses, Length Of Time, Nerve Tissue, Painful Experience, Period Of Time, Personal Preference, Rembrandt, Several Ways, Teeth And Gums, Teeth Whitening, Ways To Whiten Teeth, Whiteness