A gleaming white smile is something that everyone strives for. There are various conditions that can stain or discolor teeth, even for children. But should you really push for your child to get teeth whitening service? Dr. Allie Miller of Pediatric Dentistry of Winter Park, a dentist in Winter Park, FL, explains.
Age-Based Teeth Whitening
Whether teeth should be whitened is based on the age of each individual patient. We want to make sure that we treat every unique case with a personal touch. Your child will be evaluated and Dr. Miller can make recommendations on whitening products or indicate that a whiter smile is something your child should wait for.
Traditionally, no whitening services are recommended for children under the age of 12. Many of these children have a mix of primary and adult teeth and their smile is still developing. From ages 12-16, Dr. Miller usually recommends trying whitening toothpaste. The mouth is still growing and changing, but their adult teeth should be in.
Depending on how severe the discoloration is for pre-teens and teens, we may recommend using whitening strips in addition to whitening toothpaste. They can provide a level of whitening that’s more pronounced than a whitening toothpaste can provide.
If your child is over the age of 16, we can utilize professional whitening techniques. Take-home teeth whitening allows the smile to be whitened gradually. We’ll take molds of the teeth to make customized trays for bleaching gel to be placed. They’ll be worn for a few hours each day and Dr. Miller can recommend a length of time to continue with this process for your ideal results.
A Conservative Approach
Traditionally for children and young adults, teeth whitening is only recommended in certain incidents of trauma, genetic conditions, and some medications. We take on each case on an individual basis. Just because whiter teeth are mainly a cosmetic concern doesn’t mean they aren’t important. We want to help with your long-term oral health and appearance.
Children’s teeth are consistently growing and developing until they reach a particular age. Throughout this process, the dental pulp in these developing teeth is bigger. This is why whitening services aren’t provided before a certain age. Bigger dental pulp means more of a likelihood to suffer from sensitivity or other side effects from the bleaching agents used in teeth whitening.
Teeth Whitening at Your Winter Park, Florida Dentist
Each individual comes to us with their own unique concerns and dental problems. Do you think teeth whitening can provide confidence and help your child? Call us or schedule a consultation online. We’ll guarantee a personalized treatment plan for your child.