I’m not sure what’s going on. I’ve used whitening strips before and they’ve always made a little bit of difference. Not as much as my friends who get their teeth whitened professionally, but it does make a difference. This round, though, I have one tooth that just won’t budge. In fact, it’s getting darker, sort of a gray color. I started just putting a strip on that tooth to help it catch up but it’s not working. What’s going on?
Lisa
Dear Lisa,
You’re right that over-the-counter whitening strips do work. You’ve also mentioned one of their drawbacks regarding the strength of the whitening. If your tooth isn’t whitening and is turning gray that’s a sign the tooth is dead or dying. Is there a chance you banged your tooth on something? A dead tooth will not whiten. Not even with professional teeth whitening will the tooth change color.
You may still be able to save your gray tooth. See your dentist rather soon. I bet if you called and told them what was going on, they’d schedule an emergency appointment so you could get in the same day. From there, you will likely get a root canal treatment and dental crown.
Getting Your Whitest Smile
Don’t let the gray tooth get you too down. You can still have a beautiful smile. Get your teeth professionally whitened. I’m only saying that because it will go faster and you’ll want to whiten your teeth before you have the crown made.
A crown can be made any color but once it’s made, that’s it. The color will not be able to be changed. Therefore, it’s always advised to get your teeth the color you want them before getting any work done. That way you can have the crown made to match the color you want.
If you’re talking about a front tooth, make sure whatever dentist you go to has skill with aesthetics. If they’re a knowledgeable cosmetic dentist they’ll be sure to only place an all-porcelain crown on a visible tooth. The metal-based crowns do not look as natural.
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