Many people turn to teeth-whitening procedures to obtain a brighter, whiter smile. While the process is effective and provides excellent results, there are things you can do to ensure its success. If you want to keep your smile as bright and brilliant for years to come, you still have some work to do.
Fortunately, it’s a simple thing to accomplish and requires little due diligence. To keep your teeth white, you must be conscious of how you treat them and what to avoid after teeth whitening.
Avoid Drinking Colored Beverages
If you drink coffee, espresso, or a latte every morning or regularly drink soft drinks, you could find that your teeth have gradually lost some of their lustre over time. Anything that may have stained your teeth before the whitening procedure will still be able to stain them after, and these are what to avoid after teeth whitening.
This is especially true immediately following a whitening procedure. Avoiding beverages like coffee, tea, cola, and red wine is a great start. Attempt to limit your consumption of these drinks if you want to see your teeth stay white and shining for a long time.
If you must consume beverages like these, use a straw and drink water frequently to wash any staining tannins or other compounds away. Drinking these beverages via a straw, especially in the initial days following a teeth-whitening procedure, lessens the quantity of liquid that touches your teeth, which should help them to avoid becoming stained.
Don’t Eat Dark Coloured Food
After your surgery, you will want to stay away from chocolate and candy with artificial colours. You should avoid chocolates, candies, nuts, and certain fruits after teeth whitening. The sugar in refined sweets can affect the outer layers of your teeth. This can cause discolouration and damage, especially if your teeth are still sensitive after whitening.
Fruits with dark hues contain various pigments which can cling to and discolour your teeth. Highly acidic fruits may also cause enamel degradation. For the 48 hours after your whitening, avoiding fruits with dark juices, such as raspberries, cherries, pomegranates, blackberries, and blueberries, would be best. Avoid the juices of these fruits as well, as they are highly staining.
Cut Out Tobacco Products
Avoiding tobacco is beneficial for many reasons other than just keeping your teeth white. Smoking increases the number of harmful oral health concerns, such as gum disease, oral cancer, a dulled taste sensation, and a slower recovery rate from several dental operations. Your dental and general health and the look of your teeth can significantly improve if you stop using cigarettes.
Avoid Colored Dental Hygiene Products
You should refrain from using coloured dental products, such as toothpaste and mouthwash, for a few days after your teeth whitening procedure. Products that are blue, red, orange, or purple might re-stain your teeth more quickly than those that are white or light in colour.
After bleaching, you could also notice that your teeth are a little more sensitive. To treat this frequent symptom, use sensitive-tooth toothpaste and mouthwash. You should discuss which solutions are best for you with your dentist.
Avoid Acidic Food
The teeth-whitening procedure gently weakens your enamel to remove stains from your teeth. After your whitening procedure, your enamel will gradually recover its strength for a few days. However, immediately after consuming acidic meals, your teeth may become even more brittle and more susceptible to temperature changes. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, and pickled foods are some of the most acidic foods you should avoid.
Help Keep Your Teeth White
After your whitening procedure, you can start adding staining foods back into your diet a few days later. Even while it’s a good idea to consume them in moderation, they won’t jeopardize your outcomes from teeth whitening as much.
Following a teeth-whitening procedure, you may safeguard your investment in your dazzling whites by making a few quick, temporary changes to your diet. You may have a gorgeous, radiant smile for a very long time if you consume the appropriate foods and take excellent care of your teeth.
Contact your dentist today to schedule a whitening appointment or if you have any other questions.