{"id":1808,"date":"2025-09-18T15:39:52","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T15:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/blog\/?p=1808"},"modified":"2025-09-18T15:39:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T15:39:53","slug":"cavities-teeth-whitening-dont","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/blog\/cavities-teeth-whitening-dont\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Cavities and Teeth Whitening Don\u2019t Mix"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-300x200.png\" alt=\"Man applying whitening product to his take-home trays\" class=\"wp-image-1809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image.png 581w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are plenty of good reasons to get your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/teeth-whitening.html\">teeth professionally whitened<\/a> by a dentist, but there is one specific instance where you might want to avoid it \u2013 at least temporarily. If you have an active case of cavities or early signs of tooth decay, it\u2019s best to treat the issue with a tooth-colored filling before doing anything else. Keep reading to learn why cavities and teeth whitening simply don\u2019t mix!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It Can Cause Permanent Damage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rest assured, teeth whitening treatments are perfectly safe <em>for healthy smiles. <\/em>The bleaching agent will stay within the outer layers of your teeth, slipping past enough pours to eliminate stains without going so deep as to irritate the squishier inner layers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem with cavities and tooth decay is that they break down the outer layers, and more or less chew a hole through your pearly whites. This means if you were to whiten your teeth, the bleaching agents would \u201cfall\u201d into the holes and damage your dental pulp and nerves. That result may not be reversible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It Will Be Painful<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again, when teeth are <em>healthy<\/em>, a teeth whitening treatment shouldn\u2019t cause pain. Your dentist can even make adjustments to the bleaching agents so that if you do have a history of sensitivity, you can still whiten your smile in comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember how cavities and tooth decay can create holes that expose the inner layers of your teeth? Those inner layers are not as tough as your outer enamel. The same bleaching irritation that can cause permanent dental damage will also make the otherwise mild treatment process very painful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No matter which teeth whitening method you decide on, it\u2019s best to talk to your cosmetic dentist in Los Angeles and get a thorough oral exam before committing. If they see signs of cavities or decay, a quick <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/tooth-colored-fillings.html\">filling<\/a> will protect your inner dental layers from damage and discomfort. You\u2019ll be much happier with your teeth whitening treatment in the long run!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/meet-dr-latner.html\">Dr. Les Latner<\/a> often had cavities as a child, so he knows first-hand just how disastrous (and uncomfortable) they can be. Now, he has accreditation in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and is well-qualified to help patients whiten their teeth safely and comfortably. He\u2019s also quite skilled at creating perfectly seamless tooth-colored fillings! If you\u2019re concerned about the health or appearance of your smile, simply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/contact.html\">call Dr. Latner\u2019s office<\/a> at 310-765-7441 and schedule your appointment today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There are plenty of good reasons to get your teeth professionally whitened by a dentist, but there is one specific instance where you might want to avoid it \u2013 at least temporarily. If you have an active case of cavities or early signs of tooth decay, it\u2019s best to treat the issue with a tooth-colored filling before doing anything else. Keep reading to learn why cavities and teeth whitening simply don\u2019t mix! <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leslatnerdds.com\/blog\/cavities-teeth-whitening-dont\/\">(Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why Cavities and Teeth Whitening Don\u2019t Mix | Westside Dental Associates<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are two good reasons why you shouldn\u2019t try to whiten your teeth when you have an active case of cavities: damage and pain.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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