At Smiles by Dr. Santos, we meet with a lot of patients who want whiter teeth. Fortunately, our teeth whitening services are able to give them the gleaming results they seek. That being said, we are only partially responsible for the success of our teeth whitening; the rest is up to you. In this blog, we will go over the dos and don’ts of teeth whitening to ensure you can make the most of this service.
DO: Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Keep in mind that teeth whitening products are designed to be used on a healthy mouth. If your teeth have a lot of tartar buildup, then the whitening product cannot penetrate the surface of your teeth, preventing you from achieving the results you desire. It’s best to make sure that your teeth are healthy by starting your teeth whitening treatment after you have had a recent dental checkup. This way, any issues with plaque or tooth decay can be addressed, preventing any permanent damage to your teeth through the use of teeth whitening.
DON’T: Consume Dark Foods and Beverages After Your Appointment
The first few days after your teeth whitening are the most important for maintaining your results. If you are eating dark foods and drinking dark beverages, you are sabotaging your efforts. The worst offenders are coffee, tea, wine, dark soda, berries, and fruit juice. A good rule of thumb is to consider this: if a food is going to stain your white carpet, it will stain your teeth.
DO: Avoid Acidic Foods
Acidic foods are destructive to the enamel of your teeth, making it more porous and susceptible to staining. One of the worst culprits of this is dark soda. Carbonated beverages are highly acidic, so if you drink them after your teeth whitening, you might notice a yellowing or simply a dulling effect on your teeth. Other highly acidic beverages include tomato juice, lemonade, and grapefruit juice. If you do indulge in any of these foods, brush your teeth immediately afterward.
DON’T: Use Abrasive Home Remedies
If you’re between whitening appointments, you might be tempted to try one of the at-home whitening treatments you have heard so much about. After all, who hasn’t seen a social media influencer brushing charcoal on their teeth at this point? It can’t be that bad, right? Wrong! Charcoal is incredibly abrasive and using it on your teeth can damage your enamel, which will actually make your teeth more likely to stain. The same goes for baking soda or lemon juice. Leave this to the professionals at our cosmetic dental clinic.
DO: Eat Clear or White Foods
For the first 24 hours after your appointment, play it safe by sticking to clear or white foods. Chicken, cauliflower, fish, potatoes, plain pasta, milk, water, and white wine are all fine to consume after a teeth whitening procedure. It’s especially important to avoid dark foods, but avoiding foods with color in them, in general, will help seal in your results.
DON’T: Smoke Cigarettes
If you’re a smoker, you probably need teeth whitening because of this habit in the first place. If you smoke within the first 24 hours after your teeth whitening appointment, you stand to stain your brand new, sparkling smile. Make a point not to smoke cigarettes within the first day after you have had your teeth whitened.
We would love to help you achieve the pearly whites you desire. Contact Smiles by Dr. Santos for a teeth whitening appointment today!