How to Keep Your Teeth White After Professional Whitening
Opting for teeth whitening is a favored method to improve your smile and elevate self-assurance. There are many products and devices that claim to whiten your teeth, but nothing beats the results of professional teeth whitening. Even though it costs more, it lasts longer and gives you a brighter smile.
However, teeth whitening is not a one-time thing. You need to take care of your teeth after the treatment to maintain the results. This means avoiding certain foods, drinks, and products that can stain your teeth again.
If you want to keep your smile white and shiny, here are some tips to follow after your teeth whitening in Jackson, MI.
Avoid Colored Drinks
A primary factor leading to teeth discoloration is the consumption of pigmented beverages, including coffee, tea, wines, beers, juices, and sodas. These drinks have artificial or natural colors that can stick to your teeth and make them look dull. If you want to prevent this, you should avoid these drinks for at least a week after your teeth whitening treatment. If you can’t live without your morning coffee or evening wine, you can use a straw to drink them. This way, you can minimize the contact between the drink and your teeth.
Stay Away from Staining Foods
Such consumables possess acids, fats, or pigments that might harm tooth enamel and lead to discoloration. Post teeth whitening, it’s advisable to steer clear of soy sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce, curry, red meats, citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, milk, and dark chocolate to maintain results. Some of the foods you should avoid after teeth whitening are soy sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce, curry, red meat, citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, milk, and dark chocolate. You should also avoid candy and gum that have artificial colors. Basically, any food that can stain your clothes can also stain your teeth. You should avoid these foods for at least a week after your teeth whitening treatment.
Quit Tobacco
Tobacco is one of the worst things for your oral health and your teeth whitening results. Using tobacco products, whether by smoking or chewing, can result in stubborn yellow or brown stains on teeth. Tobacco can also increase your risk of gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer. If you want to keep your teeth white and healthy, you should quit tobacco altogether. This will not only improve your smile but also your overall health.
Use Colorless Dental Products
Some dental products, such as toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss, can have colors that can affect your teeth whitening results. These products may have red, orange, blue, or purple colors that can stain your teeth over time. To avoid this, you should use colorless or light-colored dental products after your teeth whitening treatment. You should also look for products that are specially designed for sensitive teeth, as you may experience some sensitivity after teeth whitening. You should consult your dentist for the best dental products for your teeth.
Follow a White Diet
To make your teeth whitening results last longer, you should follow a white diet for at least two weeks after your treatment. A white diet consists of foods and drinks that are colorless or light-colored and do not stain your teeth. Some examples of white diet foods are white rice, yogurt, pasta, chicken, tofu, oatmeal, white fish, egg whites, potatoes, nuts, vanilla ice cream, white chocolate, and bananas. Some examples of white diet drinks are water, coconut water, milk, white wine, and clear alcohol. Following a white diet can help you preserve your smile and prevent staining.
Can I Use Mouthwash after Teeth Whitening?
Mouthwash is a good way to keep your mouth fresh and clean, but it can also harm your teeth whitening results if you use it too much or too soon. Many mouth rinses include alcohol, which could cause mouth dryness and increase susceptibility to teeth stains. Alcohol might also disrupt the teeth-whitening process and diminish its effectiveness. Hence, it’s recommended to avoid mouth rinses for a minimum of 24 hours following a teeth whitening session. After that, you can use mouthwash sparingly, preferably once a day. You should also look for alcohol-free mouthwash or mouthwash for sensitive teeth.
Teeth whitening is a great way to improve your appearance and self-esteem, but it requires some maintenance and care. By following these tips, you can make your teeth whitening results last longer and enjoy your smile for years to come.
If you are looking for teeth whitening treatments near you, contact Arbor Falls Dental and Wellness today and schedule a consultation. Our cosmetic dentist in Jackson, MI, can help you achieve your dream smile with our professional teeth whitening services. We can also give you more advice on how to take care of your teeth after the treatment.