Teeth whitening is one of our most requested cosmetic treatments as more and more people are starting to realise the benefits of a beautiful white healthy-looking smile. A whiter brighter smile can give your confidence a boost and helps create a good first impression.
Professional whitening treatments provide a reliable and effective method of whitening discoloured or stained teeth and patients are always delighted with the results. But ultimately it leads to the question of how to keep teeth white afterwards? In this post, we’re going to give you some expert tips on how to care for your teeth after a whitening treatment.
1. Watch what you eat – Foods to avoid immediately after teeth whitening
Professional whitening treatment is going to cost more than the teeth whitening strips you can purchase on the internet, so naturally, you want your investment to last as long as possible.
Teeth whitening opens the pores in your teeth and for a short while leaves them more susceptible to staining. For this reason, the first 48 hours are critical and you need to avoid any foods and drinks that will stain such as coffee, tea, and red wine or any dark foods or liquids. Try and stick to a ‘white-only’ diet.
If you find it hard to give up your morning coffee, then rather than drink straight from a mug, try using a straw – this will prevent the liquid from coming into contact with your teeth.
2. How to keep teeth white – Practice good oral hygiene
As dentists, we’re always banging on about the basics of caring for your teeth and after teeth whitening, it’s even more important to practice what we preach. For the best results, try and do the following:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day
- Floss between and around your teeth at least once a day to help remove any plaque that gradually builds up
- Use an anti-bacterial mouthwash once a day to help harmful bacteria in the mouth that cause plaque to accumulate
- Think about using a whitening toothpaste once or twice a week as this helps to remove surface stains and goes some way to helping to prevent teeth from becoming discoloured
- The rest of the time brush with a regular fluoride toothpaste
3. Consider touch-up whitening treatments
Over time your tooth colour will gradually start to fade depending on your general lifestyle and diet and the type of teeth whitening treatments that you’ve used. Most dentists will supply you with extra whitening gel that you can use with custom trays every six months or so to keep your teeth white and sparkling. Here at Dental 266, we provide patients with Pola Paint which is ideal for recharging teeth that have already been whitened with Pola whitening. No trays are required and since the product contains fluoride that restores the minerals on your teeth, it leads to an even brighter smile.
So, there you have it… 3 tops tips for how to keep teeth white after teeth whitening. We thought we’d also take this opportunity to answer a few commonly asked questions about teeth whitening. So here goes …
Is teeth whitening safe?
Generally, teeth whitening is considered safe although some patients can experience tooth sensitivity during the first 24 to 72 hours after a whitening treatment. The good news is that Pola Office (the whitening treatment that we use at Dental 266) contains potassium nitrate which is a desensitising agent. It protects the teeth’s nerve endings by blocking the transmission of sensitive nerve impulses which provides a calming effect so patients should feel very little if any tooth sensitivity.
Is teeth whitening permanent?
Unfortunately, teeth whitening is not permanent. and how long the results last will depend both on your habits and the porousness of your teeth.
Your whitening results will not last long if you regularly expose them to the foods and drinks that cause them to stain in the first place, namely coffee, cola, tea and red wine. If you’re a smoker, then once more you can expect your teeth to start discolouring quite quickly. If your tooth enamel is naturally porous, then, unfortunately, your teeth will be more vulnerable to staining agents and will discolour faster than those of the average person.
Does teeth whitening hurt?
When carried out by a dentist using reputable brands, teeth whitening should not hurt. However, we always advise a dental check to ensure that there are no signs of cavities or gum disease that should be addressed before whitening the teeth.
Do you want to whiten your teeth?
Hopefully, this has answered the question of how to keep teeth white after teeth whitening.
If you’re considering teeth whitening then why not schedule a consultation with the friendly experienced team at Dental 266. We provide in-chair whitening as well as take-home whitening kits and you can be assured that whichever you decide to choose, our dentist ensures that you accomplish the best possible results. Why not call us on 02 9051 0600 or use our online booking system.