Teeth Whitening Aftercare: How to Protect Your Teeth at Home
You aren’t alone in thinking that your less-than-perfect teeth impact your personal and professional life. About 90% of Americans hold this belief, which is only reinforced by the impact of social media and influencers with seemingly perfect teeth. This insecurity pushes many people to get teeth whitening services.
Once your teeth are beautifully white, you will want to protect your results. That way, they stay looking white for longer. Follow these tips to protect your newly whitened teeth.
Follow a Strict Cleaning Routine
Adhering to a strict cleaning routine is paramount in teeth whitening aftercare. A dedicated oral hygiene regimen includes regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing. A soft-bristled toothbrush, whitening toothpaste, and alcohol-free mouthwash ensure gentle, effective cleaning.
This routine helps remove surface stains, plaque, and debris. Consistency in your cleaning routine contributes to sustaining a radiant, dazzling smile.
Brushing Techniques
Your brushing technique post-teeth whitening is pivotal in preventing stains from reappearing. Opt for a soft-bristled toothbrush along with a whitening toothpaste. These can be gentle yet effective in removing surface stains without harming your enamel.
Ensure you brush all surfaces of your teeth for at least two minutes during each session. This thorough brushing routine helps remove food particles and plaque. This reduces the chances of stain build-up and supports the longevity of your teeth whitening results.
Do not push too hard when brushing your teeth. Aggressive brushing with excessive force can have the opposite effect you want.
It will wear down your teeth’s outer enamel. The outer enamel is white, while the dentin layer underneath is yellow. Wearing down the outer layer can make your teeth look more yellow than you would like.
Flossing
Flossing is essential for maintaining your bright smile after a teeth whitening procedure.
It helps remove plaque and debris from areas between your teeth and along the gumline. These are the areas that your toothbrush might not effectively reach.
Removing these particles improves your oral hygiene and reduces the risk of new stains forming.
Mouthwash
Opting for an alcohol-free mouthwash post-teeth whitening is a wise choice. Alcohol-free mouthwashes can help remove bacteria, freshen your breath, and maintain a healthy oral environment.
Choose a mouthwash that your dentist recommends. It needs to be compatible with your teeth whitening procedure.
Change Your Diet
After whitening, you need to make protecting your teeth a priority. This could mean making changes to a tooth-friendly diet.
Certain foods and beverages are more likely to stain your teeth. So, continuing to consume them can stain your teeth quicker.
Avoid Staining Foods
After your teeth whitening treatment, stay mindful of foods that could affect the brightness of your smile. Foods like blueberries, soy sauce, curry, and tomato sauce have intense pigmentation.
They can gradually stain your teeth. Try to avoid these foods or enjoy them in moderation.
When you eat them, rinse your mouth with water after consuming them. That way, you reduce potential staining and help maintain the brightness of your newly whitened smile.
Limit Teeth-Staining Beverages
It is wise to limit the consumption of teeth-staining beverages to maintain your bright smile after teeth whitening. Beverages like coffee, tea, red wine, dark sodas, grape juice, cranberry juice, and pomegranate juice contain pigments that can gradually discolor your teeth.
One option is to cut these beverages out of your diet. Consider drinking with a straw if you don’t want to give them up.
Moderate consumption if a straw won’t work, such as with hot coffee or wine. After you drink them, rinse your mouth with water. This will remove any remaining staining beverage and rinse your teeth.
Drink More Water
Staying hydrated plays a role in preserving your bright smile. Water helps wash away food particles and reduces acidity in your mouth.
Embrace Crunchy Foods
Including crunchy fruits and vegetables in your diet is helpful. These foods contain natural abrasives and high water content. Examples would be apples, carrots, or celery.
They aid in cleaning teeth by removing surface stains and stimulating saliva production. This can contribute to a cleaner and brighter smile.
Stop Using Tobacco
Tobacco products, whether smoked or chewed, contain harmful chemicals. They will stain and discolor your teeth. These stains undermine the effectiveness of your whitening treatment.
Schedule Regular Dental Cleanings
Regular dental cleanings are key to protecting your teeth whitening treatment results. It’s highly recommended to schedule dental cleanings with your dentist every six months.
These professional cleanings help remove plaque, tartar, and surface stains that can accumulate. This happens even with diligent oral hygiene practices.
By visiting your dentist regularly for cleanings, you can maintain the brightness of your smile. You can also strive for optimal oral health. Both contribute to a lasting and vibrant outcome from your teeth whitening procedure.
Use Touch-Up Products
Touch-up products like whitening toothpaste, gels, or strips can help maintain your bright smile.
These touch-up products can help manage surface stains. When used as directed, you can maintain the brightness of your teeth between professional treatments.
Consult your dentist for guidance on the most suitable at-home whitening products.
Always use products that your dentist recommends. That way, you know they’re compatible with your initial whitening procedure.
Follow Your Dentist’s Instructions
Adhering to your dentist’s instructions post-teeth whitening is crucial for maintaining the results. Your dentist will provide personalized guidance tailored to your specific treatment.
These instructions may include following a specific oral care routine. They could also prescribe products for better maintenance of your whitened teeth. That way, you can enjoy the long-lasting brightness of your smile.
Schedule Teeth Whitening Services
If you invest in your teeth by getting them whitened, you will want to protect the results. By practicing proper tooth care post-whitening, you will prevent stains. That way, you can enjoy pearly white results for longer.
Justice Dental provides teeth whitening services in conjunction with cosmetic dentistry services. Our patients appreciate that we help them maintain oral health while also helping them feel confident about their smiles.
Enjoy white teeth today by scheduling an appointment at one of our two convenient locations.
