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FAQ: Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening: Fact and Fiction
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Teeth Whitening Ask The Dentist Mitchell Pohl

Question:
White lines on upper part of teeth: I had white lines on the upper part of my teeth right below the gum that I thought was from a whitening product I'd used.

New dentist said it was plague and had it scraped off which was very, very painful. Now there is a hole in one of the teeth he scraped and if I use any whitening products, I can not even begin to describe the pain I feel.

I used a new whitening product, but the lines are back 2 weeks after he scraped the teeth. Help? ...Visitor from CA

Answer:
Your problem seems to have been caused by acid erosion of the enamel or at lest a demineralization of the enamel.

Bacterial plaque produces acid which if not removed can cause those white hypocalcific spots. Sometimes those white spots can be caused by trauma to the permanent tooth while it is developing but it does not sound like it in your case.

Also, patients undergoing orthodontics who do not clean around the brackets may find white demineralized areas of enamel as well. In any event your dentist probably scraped away some of that weak enamel and exposed the underlying dentin which makes your tooth sensitive.

Bleaching will usually enhance white spots and make them more pronounced. I would ask your dentist to fill in that sensitive area with a composite resin. That should help the sensitivity and eliminate some of the white lines.

Florida Reconstructive Dentistry
Mitchell Pohl, DDS
2900 N. Military Trail, Suite 105
Boca Raton Florida FL 33431
(561) 368-3440

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