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Health and Fitness · December 10, 2019

Best Ways to Take Care of Your Teeth after a Whitening Treatment

When you ask people what they would like to change about their smile, most of them reply they want whiter and brighter teeth. Your teeth color is one of the effective ways to boost your self-esteem and overall appearance. If you are addicted to munching chocolates, sipping coffee and enjoying red wine, then this is a big challenge for you to have dazzling teeth.

Certain foods have the tendency to cause stain to your teeth, when taken regularly. When you consume dark pigmented foods and drinks and smoke daily, then there will be discolorations on your teeth.

Depending on your dental hygiene habits, your routine check-ups are important so that the teeth do not lose their natural color. Let’s go through this blogpost to know how you can take proper care of your teeth after undergoing a whitening treatment.

Teeth Whitening Treatment

There are different levels to teeth whitening treatments you may choose that differ in price and effectiveness. These include the following:

  • Toothpaste for stain removal which is an inexpensive option providing the least dramatic results.
  • Over the counter whitening pastes and strips that usually work better than the toothpaste but do not have same strength of whitener like a professional treatment.
  • At home treatments suggested by a dentist that requires several visits.
  • In-office bleaching, that provides the most dramatic result in one visit only.

Teeth whitening actually work by delivering bleaching agent at the surface of the teeth which can either be carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. The bleach targets stain marks and break them into smaller pieces that will make your teeth brighter and whiter.

How to maintain your teeth color after the treatment

What you do just after performing a whitening treatment denotes how well the results will last. The first twenty-four hours after the treatment are very important. Go through these instructions for a post-treatment care, other than the guidelines provided by your dentist:

  • Do not take drinks that can cause dark stains such as black tea, coffee, red wine, fruit juice, beer and dark sodas.
  • Avoid foods that leave dark stains such as chocolate, cured meats, soy sauce and any fruit.
  • Quit the habit of smoking though restricted use of e-cigarettes is acceptable.
  • Avoid colored toothpaste and mouthwashes such as red or blue in color.

Whatever you may eat after performing professional teeth whitening treatment should be light coloured and soft as well as non-acidic. Some foods that fall under this category post-treatment are the following:

  • Cauliflower
  • Milk
  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • White cream sauces
  • Eggs
  • Whitefish
  • White cheese
  • Skinless chicken breast
  • Tofu
  • Peeled potatoes
  • White yogurt
  • Clean coconut water
  • Clear alcohol with light mixers, such as tonic, vodka soda or gin

After the initial 24 hours, avoid eating foods that cause stain to thee teeth for as long as possible. This will have an impact on how long the results of the treatment will last. If you practice teeth-staining habits again, then you will notice the whiteness of your teeth turning dull after three months only. By maintaining good oral habits, your teeth whitening should last for one year or even more.

Some tips for ongoing dental care are the following:

  • Brush teeth with white toothpaste or water immediately after eating or drinking anything that cause stain marks.
  • Follow a good dental routine regularly which includes – brushing, flossing and using mouthwash twice.
  • Consider whitening products in every six months to get the most favorable results if you smoke or drink lots of dark beverages.

Can whitening treatments damage your teeth?

Professional teeth whitening will not only cause damage to the enamel but also the entire mouth. So, you need not worry about hurting your teeth with several dentist appointments. However, excessive at-home treatments can have a negative effect on your teeth and it will become apparent that your white teeth are due to cosmetic improvements after sometime. Since dental whitening is not covered by insurance, make sure you know how to maintain the results for a long time.

Your whiter teeth and brighter smile is a sign of improved confidence that will leave a positive impact on your mind and body. You may contact your local dental clinic for the best teeth whitening in London which is an effective and affordable way to enhance your appearance and restore gorgeous smile.