Enjoying a bright new smile after teeth whitening treatments is always a pleasure. But you may soon start to worry about how long it will last. After investing in special whitening strips, gels, or professional treatment, knowing how to keep your newly white teeth is important. Follow these simple tips to maintain the effects of your treatment.
Avoid high stain foods
Staining and discoloration on teeth is often caused by food and drink. Following a professional teeth whitening session, you will probably be advised to follow the “white diet”. This means only consuming things that cannot stain teeth.
However, even when the aftercare period is over, avoiding high stain foods is one of the best ways to prevent teeth discoloration. This includes drinks such as black coffee, red wine, dark sodas, and dark fruit juices.
Soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and berries, as well as dishes with curry and tomato sauce, can also stain.
Clean after eating and drinking
If you do consume a food or drink that might stain your teeth, it is best to clean your teeth as soon as possible after doing so. This might be as simple as drinking water to rinse away the remnants of a fruit juice or coffee. However, it can also be worth brushing your teeth following a high-stain beverage or meal.
Avoid smoking
Cutting out smoking is vital to maintaining your bright smile. Tobacco, along with the nicotine and tar it contains, has serious staining properties. Smoking can quickly undo the effects of your tooth whitening treatments, eventually resulting in yellow or even brown teeth.
Smoking has a broader impact on your oral health that should not be ignored. Among other issues, it doubles your risk of gum disease.
Whitening toothpaste
Whitening toothpaste is designed to remove stains on the surface of your teeth through a scrubbing action. Regular use of a high quality toothpaste can keep your smile bright and shining.
For those with seriously stained teeth, whitening toothpaste might not always be enough notice any improvement. However, if you are caring for your teeth following a whitening treatment, it can be a perfect solution.
Flossing
Good oral hygiene is key to maintaining your bright smile. Flossing is especially important, as it allows you to reach the gaps between your teeth that a brush might miss. These areas may be particularly prone to staining.
Flossing can also help prevent gum disease and tooth decay. This way, you can keep your teeth strong and white, preventing the need for more serious cosmetic treatments such as dental veneers in the future.
Straws
If you wish to drink a beverage that might stain, straws can help. These allow the liquid to bypass your teeth, preventing some of the staining effect. Rinsing with water or brushing may still be needed afterward, however.
Follow up treatments
Following a teeth whitening treatment such as the Zoom! whitening the dentist may require you to perform follow-up treatments at home. You will have to engage in these additional treatments for a specified length of time, perhaps a few weeks.
You might need to use a whitening treatment on a regular basis, perhaps every few months or years. After the more serious staining has been taken care of professionally, you may only require periodic touch up treatments.
Regular check ups
Returning to your regular or family dentistry provider for regular checkups is very important to the long term effects of your treatment. Your dentist will be able to tell you if your efforts to avoid staining have worked, or if there is something else you should be doing.
Professional cleanings can help ensure that stains are removed early on. While your efforts at home are important, your dentist can achieve a deeper clean. This helps ensure better overall oral health, and a bright smile for years to come.
