Can You Use Whitening Strips While Pregnant? Facts to Know

Everyone desires to smile with pearly whites. But can you use whitening strips while pregnant? Teeth whitening strips can potentially be safe to use during pregnancy but guidelines state that you should wait until after delivery.

Before buying any products, the risks of teeth whitening for expectant mothers (and nursing mothers) must be carefully considered.

Keep reading and learn more about whether you should use whitening strips while pregnant.

Table of Contents

Can You Use Whitening Strips While Pregnant?

It is good to postpone the use of teeth whitening strips while you’re pregnant. Whitening your teeth is much less dangerous after giving birth, so you should wait.

Since it is an optional cosmetic procedure, your unborn child will not benefit from it. The only thing it might be able to do is hurt him or her. Thus, we believe that the better choice is to simply wait until after you give birth.

But if you were really bothered by your yellow teeth, you could always keep using the whitening toothpaste.

Can You Use Whitening Strips While Pregnant

Avoid eating foods that will stain your teeth as this is another helpful prevention tip. Red wine, tea, and coffee are well known for discoloring teeth.

You should try to avoid all of those during pregnancy so you can at least delay your teeth from yellowing.

Additionally, it will mean that you won’t need to bleach your teeth as vigorously to restore their pearly white color after giving birth.

Common Oral Health Conditions for Pregnant Woman

Women who are expecting should watch out for the common oral health issues listed below.

Dry Mouth – Did you know that women may be more susceptible to dry mouth during pregnancy? Dry mouth can raise your risk of oral infections and tooth decay if you don’t treat it. Rinsing with a mouthwash free of alcohol at least once a day is the simplest way to prevent dry mouth while pregnant.
Gum Disease – Pregnancy-related hormonal changes in women can frequently cause an increase in gum sensitivity. A certain amount of pain or soreness may occasionally result from the increased level of sensitivity. Pregnant women should use an alcohol-free mouthwash, floss their teeth twice daily, and brush their teeth gently with a soft brush to prevent further gum discomfort. The last few steps can also lessen the chance of developing pregnancy gingivitis or gum disease.
Enamel Erosion – Throughout a woman’s pregnancy, morning sickness can frequently occur. Sadly, vomiting that is very acidic is frequently a symptom of morning sickness, and this can damage enamel. A pregnant woman should immediately rinse her mouth with water after experiencing morning sickness symptoms to prevent this oral health problem.

When a woman is pregnant, maintaining oral health is crucial. But it’s important to keep in mind that teeth whitening might exacerbate oral health issues, posing unnecessary risks to both the mother and developing child.

What Can You Do to Get a Better Smile During Pregnancy?

While it might be tempting to purchase over the whitening strips, you should wait until you are no longer pregnant or breastfeeding for effective teeth whitening treatment.

Instead, you can stay away from foods that stain your teeth if you want to have a better, brighter smile. Additionally, you should regularly brush and floss your teeth in the morning, following meals, and at night.

You can also use a whitening toothpaste that has been recommended by your dentist to remove surface stains if your gums are not overly sensitive.

Finally, you can and should schedule routine dental cleanings to keep your smile radiant and healthy while also ensuring that your gums are happy and healthy, your teeth are free of cavities, and your gums are.

Conclusion: How Long to Leave Whitening Strips On

Using teeth whitening strips is not recommended if you’re pregnant. The dental product known as teeth whitening strips contains a small amount of peroxide, which whitens teeth.

Teeth whitening strips are generally safe to use. Scientists are unsure, though, whether the ingredients in products like teeth-whitening strips endanger developing fetuses.

Because of this uncertainty, it makes sense to wait until after your pregnancy to have your teeth whitened.

If you want to buy whitening strips, please read our guide on Best Whitening Strips.

Can I Use Whitening Toothpaste While Pregnant?

The good news is that if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, then you can still use whitening toothpaste to help brighten your smile.

Can You Use Teeth Whitening Strips While Having Braces?

Unfortunately, whitening strips aren’t the best choice if you have traditional metal braces because they won’t penetrate the enamel beneath bonded brackets and will only lighten the exposed tooth surfaces.