Category: Tooth Whitening

Teenagers And Teeth – What To Know As Parents When Considering Tooth Whitening For Your Teen

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In the Know for You to Know

Should We Whiten Our Teeth?
Should We Whiten Our Teeth?

A big welcoming smile is a great way to meet people and make friends. Yet many tweens and teens are self-conscious about their smiles because of discolored or off-white teeth. This concern is even more prevalent with the emphasis on whitening teeth.

A smile can have an enormous impact on a teen’s self-esteem. Children who are self-conscious about their smiles can seem reserved and appear not interested in making friends. You’ll know when you see them hiding their mouth behind their hands or consciously keeping their mouth closed to avoid showing their teeth.

Today we’re talking teen’s teeth with helpful information for you to know on tooth whitening as your teen plans for prom and graduation.

Causes Of Discolored Teeth

There are many possible causes of discolored teeth and white spots on the tooth enamel of children. Some of the most common include trauma to a tooth or illness during tooth development that disrupts enamel formation.

In addition, a tooth can discolor if a child takes certain medicines during key stages of tooth development. Poor oral hygiene, especially during orthodontic treatment, can also lead to discolored areas on teeth, white spots and cavities.

Best Tooth Whitening Practices

Teenagers, especially, will focus on an off-white smile; which leads to a lot of requests for bleaching. It’s recommended to undertake a tooth whitening program under the guidance of a dentist and not use the commercially available home whitening kits.

Home tooth whitening kits are similar to those used in the dental office, but the concentrations of active ingredients are lower than in a dental professional’s product. Because your dentist can control the application and understands how the products work, they can work with higher concentrations.

Then there’s the overly enthusiastic teens who ignore the instructions on the home whitening kits and are applying them for longer than the recommended time. This can cause prolonged sensitivity and damage to the enamel.

Whitening Tooth Paste

Parents also ask about whitening toothpastes for their tweens and teens. It’s recommended not to use toothpastes with whitening agents until the roots of all their adult teeth are fully formed. Once a tooth comes into the mouth, it takes 3 years for the roots of teeth to fully form and close.

After the roots of all their adult teeth are fully formed, a whitening toothpaste (with the ADA Seal of Approval and containing fluoride) should only be used once a day because these products are abrasive. As a result, they can wear away tooth enamel, making teeth sensitive to hot and cold.

It’s important that when using a whitening toothpaste to use a regular, non-abrasive toothpaste (with the ADA Seal of Approval and with fluoride) for their second daily brushing.

Time Line for Tooth Whitening

While some children at 12 years old may have all their adult teeth in their mouth the roots of these teeth are not fully formed and this is very important because of the effect on root development.

For the tweens and teens who have a combination of adult and baby teeth, they are in their mixed dentition. Which means that a lot of new adult teeth which are not in their mouths yet are forming, especially the roots. While there needs to be more research on whitening agents for tweens and teens , it’s always good to keep up with flossing and brushing and re-evaluate in another year or two.

Side Effects Of Tooth Whitening

There needs to be a lot more studies on whitening and its effects on teenager’s teeth and gums.

For the oldest teens who do undertake a whitening regimen be careful. Watch out for tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, and nerve damage. These effects may be localized or full mouth and due to inflammation and harming tooth structure. How long they last is individual. As always be aware and informed.

Our Teeth Say It All
Our Teeth Say It All
My Parents Were Right About Tooth Whitening
My Parents Were Right About Tooth Whitening
Talking With My Mom
Talking With My Mom
I Don't Know, Should I Whiten My Teeth Or Not?
I Don’t Know, Should I Whiten My Teeth Or Not?

Is your teen looking to boost their smile confidence? Are you comfortable with your teen having their teeth whitened? What more would you like to know about whitening options for your tween and teen? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email to kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us on Facebook

Now We Understand About Tooth Whitening
Now We Understand About Tooth Whitening

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

Answers to Your Questions about Alternatives to Tooth Whitening and Whitening Toothpastes

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In the Know for You to Know

Today I am answering questions in follow-up to my last post on Tooth Whitening. With so many great questions I have selected those which represent what you want to know.

Karly from Missouri wrote in asking – I went for it and let my 18 year old twins have their teeth whitened for the holidays and now they want to go back again. I’ve seen whitening toothpastes, are they effective? Whitening toothpastes only remove superficial staining on the top surface of teeth. These toothpastes are toothpaste and do not whiten teeth like the bleaching service your children had at the Dentist. The toothpastes have an abrasive in them that polishes teeth so over time they lighten but do not change the color of teeth.

It’s best to use these pastes for a once a day use and your regular toothpaste for the other brushing. Remember to always use toothpaste with the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance.

Chloe from Minnesota wrote in asking – Our Dentist keeps talking about different types of stains when I ask him why my daughter’s teeth are yellow. She’s a teenager, so what is he talking about? Adult teeth are not that beautiful pearly white that baby teeth are, no matter how old your daughter is. There are 2 types of stains. The stains on the top surface are called extrinsic stains, while staining inside the tooth are called intrinsic stains. The causes and how the stains are taken care of are totally different.

Think about and look at pictures of her teeth from when they first came in until now. Have they always looked this way? Did something happen that changed the way they look? How are we doing with our flossing and brushing routine? Is this something you’re just noticing now?

Ethan from Virginia wrote in asking – I had my teeth bleached and now my 12 year old wants his done also. Is he at a good age to have this done? While some children at 12 years old may have all their adult teeth in their mouth the roots of these teeth are not fully formed and that is very important because of the effect on root development. For the children who have a combination of adult and baby teeth, they are in their mixed dentition. Which means that a lot of new adult teeth which are not in their mouths yet are forming, especially the roots.

While there needs to be more research on whitening for children, tweens, and adolescents, it’s always good to keep up with flossing and brushing and re-evaluate in another year to two.

Andrew from Illinois wrote in asking – We were told that bonding is the best way to go for changing the color of my daughter’s teeth. I thought this was used for cavities, but she doesn’t have cavities. Help! Bonding might be an option for children with discolored teeth. The procedure itself is called bonding, and it is a multi-step process which uses a color matched composite resin to cover the tooth with a thin coating of plastic-like material. After the coating is applied it is sculpted, shaped and polished to provide a pleasing result.

There are some limitations. Bonded teeth are not as strong as natural teeth. Nail biting, biting into food, any kind of accident to the mouth can damage bonded teeth. The composite itself can become discolored and worn over time, and a bonded tooth can not be whitened.

Emilia from Pennsylvania wrote in asking – What are your thoughts about Baking Soda and Charcoal for tooth whitening? Enamel is the thin outer layer covering teeth. For Baby teeth enamel is 1/2 to 1 millimeter thick, and Adult teeth have a thickness of 1 to 2 millimeters. This is very thin, and enamel does not reform.

Baking soda and charcoal are abrasive. They wear away enamel and can make teeth look more yellow than white. More yellow? Yes, because when enamel is worn away the layers underneath are exposed and those layers have yellow color tones.

Mateo from Connecticut wrote in asking – Are there side effects to using tooth whiteners? There needs to be a lot more studies on whitening and its effects on children, tweens and adolescent’s teeth and gums. For the oldest adolescents who do undertake a whitening regimen-BE CAREFUL.

Watch out for tooth sensitivity, gum irritation and even harm to the nerves in the teeth. These effects can be localized or full mouth and due to inflammation and harming tooth structure. How long they last is individual. As always be careful!

Thank you to everyone who reached out with your questions!

Don’t be shy, SEND IN your questions or tell us what you’d like more information on, we’d love to hear from you!

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!


Answers to Your Questions about Tooth Whitening

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In the Know for You to Know

Lots of parents have been writing in asking about tooth whitening. These Mom’s questions summed up what you’ve been asking —

Grace from Florida wrote in asking – I have 3 children, one in elementary school, one in middle school, one in high school, their teeth look fine to me, but what is the big deal about whitening? A big smile is a great way to meet people and make friends. Yet many school age children, tweens and teens are self-conscious about their smiles because of discolored or off-white teeth. This concern is growing because of the bigger and bigger emphasis on whitening teeth.

Alayah from Massachusetts wrote in asking – My youngest has teeth like me, I try not to smile a lot and now I see him backing off. What causes teeth to be discolored? A smile can have an enormous impact on self-esteem. Children who are self-conscious can seem reserved and appear not interested in making friends. You’ll see them hiding their mouths behind their hands or consciously keeping their mouth’s closed to avoid showing their teeth while talking.

There are lots of reasons why teeth have white spots or are discolored. Some causes are a hit to the tooth, an illness or taking certain medicines during tooth development. Poor oral hygiene especially during braces can lead to discoloration, white spots and cavities.

Madison from Nevada wrote in asking – My 15 and 17 year olds are always asking for those at home tooth bleaching sets, are they really safe? Teenagers especially will focus on an off-white smile. No one’s teeth are meant to be neon white. So when it’s time for pictures, prom, spring break, or going off to college it’s best to follow a bleaching program under the guidance of your Pediatric Dentist and not use the store bought home whitening kits.

Home tooth whitening kits have concentrations of active ingredients that are lower, so they’ll want to use more and more which will hurt their teeth and gums. This can cause prolonged sensitivity and damage the enamel. The whitening done in the office is higher strength and the applications are controlled. Even the take home kits from your Dentist are specific and supervised for your child’s individual use schedule.

Stay tuned, Coming up – Answers to your questions about an alternative to whitening and whitening toothpastes.

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!