Bleeding Gums After Laser Teeth Whitening

Question

I had Polus laser whitening at 10am yesterday morning and my teeth were really sensitive afterwards. My gums were also white for about an hour after. This morning, although the sensitivity in the teeth themselves had reduced, my gums are really sore and bled an awful lot when I brushed my teeth. I'm terrified that this may be lasting damage. Is there anything I can do to alleviate the bleeding? Thanks. Lou, Manchester UK.

Peter Mann, DDS · Answer

The human body is amazing at healing itself, especially the oral cavity. I'm sorry to hear about what happened, it sounds like some of the whitening gel leeched under the protective barrier. Ibuprofen or Tylenol should alleviate the discomfort. You should be feeling much better after a day or two, in about 4-7 days the gums should appear normal again. I wouldn't worry about any lasting damage or discomfort. It's best to notify your dentist to let him/her know what happened. Feel better soon.

Lance Timmerman, DMD, MAGD - Account Suspended · Answer

Perhaps the office was not clear about side effects, but it is not unusual to irritate the gum tissue with the bleaching gel. This can have effects for 24-48 hours, but nothing after that. You will be fine, but may need some Tylenol (not sure if they have that in the UK), non prescription pain medication or even some numbing gel used for babies as they get their teeth.

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