Many of the best KöR Whitening success stories we hear from dentists involve older children and teenagers. All too often, unfortunately, tooth-related cosmetic problems in children and adolescents are dismissed by parents and health professionals and not treated until age eighteen

Usually, this is due to a lack of understanding of the possible and acceptable whitening treatment modalities available. Sometimes, it is due to a false assumption that certain treatments are contraindicated until older ages.

However, when it comes to KöR Whitening, that simply is not true.

In fact, it is recommended that color and stain cosmetic problems be addressed during adolescent years, as teeth typically whiten much easier on younger patients. If your child suffers from fluorosis or other discoloration issues, using KöR’s whitening products can not only enhance the look of your child’s teeth, but it can also have a lasting impact on their overall confidence and self-esteem.

Psychological Concerns
It is important to understand that there are strong and confirmed links between childhood embarrassment and damaging, permanent psychological impairment throughout adulthood as a result of cosmetic or physical imperfections. Children and adolescents with poor dental aesthetics may develop permanent psychological problems.

Appearance, including the teeth, is the single most common target of childhood teasing. Child victims of teasing tend to respond by withdrawing, typically encouraging further teasing. Poor dental aesthetics during childhood, in both boys and girls, is strongly related to depression, social anxiety, inadequacy, fear of negative evaluation, and loneliness later in life.

Concerns about appearance are also strongly associated with adulthood eating and body image disorders. As a rule, boys are more likely to be teased than girls, whereas girls encounter more social exclusion. However, both males and females react in the same way and have equally destructive psychological problems in adulthood as a result.

What Are the Age Limits for Whitening?
Years of scientific research and peer-reviewed scientific literature is in agreement that there are no upper or lower age limitations to whitening.

With regard to whitening children’s teeth, many dentists are apprehensive because younger teeth have larger dental pulps (nerves), and they fear excessive teeth sensitivity due to whitening. However, the scientific literature shows exactly the opposite. It is a proven fact that peroxide routinely gets into the pulps of teeth during whitening at any age. Young, large, healthy, and highly vascular (excellent blood circulation) pulps are far better equipped to deal with any transient peroxide irritation of the pulps than older, narrower, fibrous (impaired blood circulation) pulps. The preponderance of scientific literature shows that younger pulps have significantly less sensitivity during whitening.

As any dentist who has whitened the teeth of children up to the age of 16 has seen, young teeth whiten extremely well and very quickly. In addition, once the whiteness is achieved, it is easily maintained throughout life.

The younger teeth are, the more easily, effectively, and quickly they whiten. In fact, the KöR Whitening patient brochure suggests age 14 as the ideal age to whiten. In most cases, the baby teeth have usually all been lost, and the permanent teeth have erupted into the mouth by age 14.

Correcting abnormal dental esthetic problems, if done soon enough, can eliminate the permanent psychological distress often found later in life. At KöR Whitening, we strongly believe that oral health professionals should be cognizant of how ANY type of oral cosmetic problem may cause early and permanent psychological problems for our patients. It is important to become educated regarding correction of these aesthetic problems before permanent psychological problems occur. Rarely are there cosmetic dental problems seen in children and younger teenagers that cannot be successfully treated, even if the treatment is temporary until permanent treatment can be provided at an older age. As dentists, we treat people, not just teeth.