Can tooth whitening affect enamel and dentin?
The two most commonly observed clinical effects of treatments with tooth whiteners include mild tooth over-sensitivity to temperature changes and irritation of the inside of the mouth in some patients. Increased tooth sensitivity, which often occurs at the beginning of the treatment and usually does not last more than a few days, was observed in up to two thirds of patients in various studies. Regarding irritation of the inside of the mouth, the mouthguard rather than the tooth whitening product may be the cause. Some patients have also reported burning palate, throat, and gums and some of those who inadvertently swallowed whole tooth whitening strips reported minor upsets in their stomach or intestine. In general, side effects can occur during treatment, but seem to disappear quickly afterwards. The SCCP noted that the numbers of patients enrolled in the studies are too small to detect undesirable effects that occur very rarely. In addition, many studies do not include a control group
