5 Teeth Whitening After-care Tips to Follow
Have you just finished the procedure of whitening your teeth? Well, you should be incredibly careful not to increase their sensitivity by consuming the wrong kinds of ingredients and using the wrong types of dental products.
Immediately after the treatment, teeth are extremely vulnerable to hot and cold temperatures, as well as re-staining. Hence, people should give up certain foods and beverages in the first days following the procedure. Instead of consuming coffee, why not drink yogurt?
Make sure you follow these after-care tips to maintain the results for as long as possible.
Avoid acidic and colored beverages
An important after-care tip to follow is avoiding acidic and colored beverages in order to maintain the whiteness of your teeth for as long as expected. For instance, avoiding coffee is undoubtedly beneficial due to the presence of tannins in its content. These ingredients assist staining by allowing the colored pigments of coffee to stick to the enamel.
Coffee lovers who can’t imagine starting their days without a cup of strong coffee are advised to limit the consumption of this beverage to as many as two times per day. Also, drinking coffee through a straw is an excellent trick to prevent tannins from sticking to the surface of teeth. Click here to check out the causes, treatment, and prevention of coffee stains on teeth.
Moreover, tannins aren’t only present in coffee but in tea and wine as well. Dark teas are considered to have the most powerful staining effect, so make sure you avoid drinking black and green tea. Needless to say, red wine is at the top of the list of teeth-staining beverages due to its dark color and high acidity
White wine, on the other hand, is believed to be less harmful because of the absence of dark color pigments. Anyhow, it has the same acidity levels as red wine. Consequently, white wine won’t discolor your teeth but prepare the ground for other teeth-staining beverages and ingredients.
When it comes to fizzy drinks, make sure to stop drinking them altogether. These aren’t only acidic but full of artificial colors. Even though fruit drinks are known to be healthier, they are also supposed to be avoided in the first couple of days because of their high acidic content.
Avoid staining foods
Apart from avoiding a whole range of beverages, one is also suggested to keep away from certain staining foods, which are not only colored but greasy and acidic. For instance, avoiding dark-colored sauces such as soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and red sauce should be your top priority. The same goes for colored condiments like paprika, turmeric, curry, etc. Believe it or not, red meat is also supposed to be avoided immediately after the treatment.
Due to the high acidity, citrus fruits, such as lemons, oranges, limes, mango, and plums, shouldn’t be consumed during the first days. After the whitening treatment, the teeth are overly sensitive, which is why citric fruits aren’t the best decision. Additionally, make sure you steer clear of fruits with high pigment levels such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries.
As far as vegetables are concerned, individuals are supposed to avoid colorful veggies such as carrots, spinach, and tomatoes. Those having a sweet tooth would also have to give up chocolate, both milk and dark, as well as all kinds of colored candies.
Eat certain foods
Apart from making some diet restrictions, there are certain foods people are recommended to eat after both at-home and professional teeth-whitening treatments. If looking for a teeth-whitening kit, you can buy the teeth whitening at home system at Target, designed for sensitive teeth. People with sensitive teeth and gums are suggested to eat chicken or turkey right after the treatment, as these types of meat are light in color, as well as incredibly healthy.
Furthermore, eating white fish like albacore is an after-care tip worth practicing. The same goes for earing rice, potatoes, and pasta. Nevertheless, when eating pasta, try avowing sauce especially not pesto or tomato sauce. Regarding dairy products, white cheese and yogurt are excellent decisions. Anyhow, try enjoying the delicious flavor of white cheese without wine, as the latter is incredibly acidic.
In addition, other foods individuals are suggested to eat following a teeth-whitening treatment are onions, bananas, white bread, porridge, and egg whites. All of these are light-colored foods, posing no threat to the new color of your teeth. There are some beverages you can consume without worrying about their effect on your smile, such as coconut milk, water, regular milk, and sparkling water.
Certain fruits and vegetables are not only considered safe but also healthy for the teeth. Make sure you eat crunchy veggies and fruits like carrots, apples, and celery. These are believed to improve the production of saliva, which plays an important role in eliminating stains.
Stay away from overly hot and cold meals
Another invaluable after-care tip is avoiding overly hot and cold meals for several days after the procedure. Whitening treatments are known to increase teeth sensitivity, hence making the teeth vulnerable to both heat and cold. In order to reduce discomfort, use a special toothpaste for sensitivity issues instead of the one you use every day. These kinds of toothpastes are already available in local drugs stores.
Use no colored oral hygiene products
Colored foods and drinks aren’t the only things worth avoiding. You should also dental color in different colors, except for the white ones. When using toothpaste and mouthwash, make sure these aren’t blue, purple, red, or orange in color. These products have the same negative effect on teeth as staining ingredients, as well as increase their sensitivity.
Have a conversation with your dentist about the types of dental products to use after the treatment. He/ She will recommend the best brands of dental products for sensitive teeth.
The bottom line
Always spare some time for taking care of your teeth after the whitening treatment.
Make the necessary changes in your diet and lifestyle to achieve better results!
