If you want to have your teeth whitened, you have plenty of options available to you. However, if your gums are sensitive, inflamed, or easily irritated, a lot of those options aren't a good idea anymore. If you've had a bad experience with whitening your teeth due to your sensitive gums or just don't want to hurt them, read on to learn how to get the white smile you're dreaming of without making your gums unhappy.

The Problem With At-Home Kits

These days, most at-home whitening kits actually work quite well. At-home whitening kits are designed to remove the surface stains that coat your teeth. As a result, most people can use them effectively and can be happy with the results.

Unfortunately, people with gum problems often don't have it so easy. The whitening material used in at-home kits often comes into contact with the gums. Peroxide can be tingly or a little irritating even on healthy gums, but if your gums are sensitive or you have gum disease, you shouldn't use at-home kits to whiten your teeth. However, your dentist can still help you to get the look you want.

In-Office Whitening

There are two major methods your dentist can get your teeth looking whiter, and one of them is having your teeth professionally whitened in your dentist's office.

Professional tooth whitening has a lot of major advantages. The first is that your dentist or dental hygienist will take steps to protect your gums from ever coming in contact with the whitening agent. Depending on the dentist, they may use a gel or rubber to perform this task. Then, they'll very carefully apply the whitening agent to your teeth with a tiny brush. You shouldn't experience any irritation with this method.

As a secondary benefit, this type of whitening can be accomplished in just one visit. If you need white teeth soon, talk to your dentist about setting up an appointment for in-office whitening.

Custom Trays

Another option your dentist can provide for you is a custom tooth whitening tray. These trays are made with a mold of your actual teeth. The mold is so precise that it protects your gums by not coming near the gum line over your teeth or between your teeth.

Once you have your tray, you can perform your own tooth whitening at home using your tray and a professional-grade whitening agent your dentist can provide. While this method may take a bit longer than having it done in-office, you can get and maintain the professional results without having to visit the dentist every time.

Dental teeth whitening isn't impossible, even if your gums aren't in the best shape. Contact your local dentist to get the whitest smile without hurting your gums.