How Best to Maintain Results From Professional Teeth Whitening

Getting your teeth whitened is a fast and effective means of achieving a radiant smile. A bright smile can boost your self-worth and confidence to share it. However, the brightness of your teeth cannot remain for long without proper care. To maintain the results of this procedure, you should incorporate several factors into your routine.

 

Oral Hygiene

Brushing your teeth is the traditional way of maintaining your oral health. After undergoing professional teeth whitening, it is advisable to improve on this routine. Doing this helps keep new stains and discolorations from redeveloping. Improvements in your dental hygiene should include brushing at least twice daily and flossing before bedtime.

 

Dentists recommend extending a tooth brushing session to last more than one minute to dislodge all remaining food substances. Complete the activity by rinsing and gargling using an antibacterial mouthwash for additional protection.

Frequent Hydration

If you do not typically drink lots of water, it is best to get into the habit of doing so. Hydrating benefits not only your overall health but your dental well-being as well. It washes away food particles and bacteria that can otherwise stain your teeth.

Avoid Smoking

Getting professional teeth whitening can be one of the reasons to quit harmful habits like smoking. Tobacco is among the primary causes of stained teeth. Avoiding this practice benefits your health and reduces the stains that result from chewing or smoking it.

Changing Diet

Some foods and drinks are detrimental to your teeth, causing them to look less bright after whitening. Though they may be essential to your day, beverages like tea, red wine, and coffee tend to stain your teeth. If you need to, drink white yogurt or warm milk as a morning refreshment.

Certain meals contain acidic flavors like lemon, mandarin, lime, and oranges that stain whitened teeth. Reduce or entirely avoid including them in your diet. Alternatively, use straws when taking drinks with acidic flavors. The straw ensures the beverage avoids your teeth, going directly to the throat.

Dark sauces may seem attractive as they complement your meal. However, some of them may reverse the process of tooth whitening. Avoid ingesting sauces like red pasta, barbecue, and soy sauce. Instead, opt for light-colored foods and white sauces such as:

• Peeled potatoes

• White rice

• Cauliflowers

• White pasta

• Eggs

• White cheese

• Whitefish

One snack to avoid is dark chocolate. Despite its sweetness, it can significantly affect your whitened teeth. The problem lies in its common ingredient, caffeine. Like coffee, this component tends to stain your teeth.

Maintain Regular Dental Cleanings

Following all the above tips is not the only way to extend the lifetime of your whitened teeth. Schedule follow-up professional dental cleaning appointments at least twice a year. During the visits, your dentist will scrape away the buildup of tartar.

These can make your teeth look dull and unattractive. The results from experienced tooth whitening often last for about a year with appropriate care.

For more about maintaining results from professional teeth whitening, contact Above and Beyond Dental at our office in Bedford, Texas. Call (817) 571-1667 to book an appointment today.