Can Whitening Strips Damage the Nerves in Your Teeth?
In a tooth with healthy structure, whitening strips are unlikely to damage the nerve, when used as directed. The peroxide responsible for the bleaching action however causes the sensitivity, but it usually settles once the procedure is completed. There are caveats where whitening is best avoided, and how to check them for your own teeth before you start is explained in detail in our Complete Teeth Whitening System.
The Mechanism of Teeth Whitening
The nerves of the tooth are present inside the pulp, the soft core in the middle of the tooth, wrapped around by dentin, then the top most enamel, like walls.
Peroxide from a strip passes through both walls and reaches the pulp, and the stronger the concentration of the formulation, the deeper it will reach, towards the pulp.
When it reaches the pulp, the nerve gets mildly irritated, which causes that aching sensation and the sudden sharp sensitivity felt by some people, and in a tooth with healthy structure, it settles after the treatment.
Why some people may feel it more than others is explained here: our article on sensitivity after whitening strips.
When It Becomes Too Much For The Nerves To Handle
How the nerve will react depends on 2 things primarily:
- Strength of peroxide in whitening agent.
- How much viable tooth structure is present.
A gentle at-home gel causes far less pulp inflammation than a strong professional in-office treatment.
Furthermore the strongest in-office gel, left on for 45 minutes, may cause permanent damage to the nerve in thin lower front teeth, because of less thickness of enamel, but not in thicker premolars.
Strips are much weaker than that, but the lesson is obviously important: the less tooth there is between the peroxide and the nerve, the more of it gets through, and more chances of causing permanent damage.
So teeth which have cavities, decay, or an old filling are at higher risk.
When to Stop and See a Dentist
Some sensitivity while you use strips is however normal, and should fade within a day or two of stopping.
However, it is essential to get checked if:
- The pain lingers after stopping for more than a few days.
- Throbbing pain without any cold/hot stimulus.
- The pain wakes you up at night.
- One tooth hurts much more than the rest.
- A tooth starts to look grey or darker than the others.
This usually points to a nerve that will not settle, and might need a professional exam.
FAQs
Can whitening strips kill a tooth nerve?
It is very rare in healthy teeth when strips are used as directed.
How long should sensitivity last after whitening strips?
Usually 1 – 2 days after you stop.
Is whitening sensitivity a sign of nerve damage?
No, it is a common, short-lived reaction, but pain that lingers is different and needs to be checked.
Can I use whitening strips if I have a filling?
The filling will not whiten, and peroxide can get inside, so it’s best to have it checked before you start.
Know What You Are Working With
Most nerve problems from whitening can be easily prevented if you know what you’re working with in the first place, and our Complete Teeth Whitening System is designed exactly to walk you through this the safest possible way.
If you have facial swelling, fever alongside tooth pain, pain spreading towards your eyes or neck, trouble swallowing, or limited mouth opening, contact your dentist and seek urgent care immediately.