As teeth whitening kits have become increasingly popular in recent years, many women wonder Can you bleach your teeth during pregnancy or while nursing ? Since cosmetic dentists will not whiten the teeth of pregnant women, it is up to women to make the decision on their own.
Why do dentists refuse to perform this procedure on mothers to be? Well, it has nothing to do with knowing something that we don’t. In fact, there has never been a study that has investigated the effect these gels and formulas have on pregnant women. After all, what pregnant women would sign up for such a study?
In the end, dentists would rather be safe than sorry, so they ask women to wait until after they give birth to whiten their teeth again. Of course, if a woman was so inclined she could purchase a home kit and do the work on her own.
Generally speaking, the gels that are used to whiten teeth are entirely safe. You can even swallow a mouth full of it and not get sick… though it doesn’t taste all that good. However, it is also true that not everything that is safe for an adult is safe for an unborn child. Therefore, we suggest that pregnant women abstain from whitening their teeth until their babies are born.
How about during nursing? Again, there is little to no information on this topic, but most doctors do not recommend it. Though the chances of passing a dangerous chemical through your breast milk are fairly slim, it is probably best to err on the side of caution.