A patient story: when whitening toothpaste was the problem

A patient came in about a month ago with sensitivity to cold on several upper and lower teeth. The symptoms had started roughly a year before. One dentist had recommended fillings on several teeth; another had even recommended a root canal and replacing several fillings. Looking for a third and final opinion, the patient sought out my services.

After x-rays and several tests, I determined that no fillings or root canals were necessary. I advised the patient to stop using any form of whitening toothpaste and prescribed a medicated paste to apply daily for a few weeks. On their follow-up appointment, the patient no longer had any sensitivity. They were thankful that I'd saved them money by not doing any fillings.

My response was, "Money you can always replace, but tooth structure cannot be replaced once it has been drilled on. While I'm happy you saved some money, I feel even better that you saved your tooth structure."

So how was I able to determine no fillings were needed? The tests and x-rays did not show decay or faulty fillings. While talking with the patient, I discovered they had been using a new whitening toothpaste for about one and a half years. I couldn't be certain it was the main cause, but my past experience with similar cases led me to recommend stopping whitening products and prescribing the medicated paste. Like many of my other patients, the problem was solved.

With the on-going trend of desiring whiter teeth, a craze for whitening products is developing — everything from over-the-counter take-home kits to special whitening toothpastes. Many patients have been experiencing sensitivity to cold after using these products. Most of these patients have less dense or thinner enamel, and the chemicals manufacturers use to whiten teeth are damaging the tooth structure.

Luckily, when caught in time, these symptoms are reversible by following some simple protocols. It makes me wonder — what will happen as more of these cases become prevalent? I'm seeing the number of whitening toothpastes increase in the market while the number of regular toothpastes diminishes.