Professional teeth whitening allows for a precise, safe way to get a brighter color in your smile. During this in-office cosmetic dental treatment, a dentist will apply bleaching gel to the teeth to lift stubborn stains that can easily scrub away to reveal a pearly white smile.
Once you experience this aesthetic enhancement in your smile, you will want to take action to ensure these effects last for as long as possible. Read on to find tips from your dentist that will help you keep your smile bright after teeth whitening treatment.
How Can I Maximize Teeth Whitening Benefits?
Avoid Consuming Substances That Stain
A major reason people form stains on their teeth over time is the substances they consume. Dark-colored foods and drinks, like red wine, coffee, and tea, get their color from tannins. These substances transfer to the teeth when you eat and drink. There, they absorb into the tooth enamel and leave stains behind on their surfaces.
Whitening treatment from your dentist targets this discoloration, which your usual oral hygiene routine cannot remove alone. But if you expose your teeth to tannins again after this cosmetic dental enhancement, you can develop new stains.
Make efforts to avoid foods and beverages with these staining agents to preserve your tooth color, especially during the early days following your teeth whitening treatment when your smile may still be vulnerable. While efforts like sipping through a straw may reduce your risk of tooth discoloration from these items, it will not eliminate the chances entirely. Pay attention to your diet to protect the look of your smile.
Continue Good Oral Hygiene Habits
Your teeth can better resist discoloration when they are strong and healthy. To keep your smile feeling and looking its best, you will need to take adequate care of it. This will involve proper oral hygiene like brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing on a daily basis.
This routine scrubs away surface stains as well as plaque build-up. Plaque eats away at your dental structure over time. This makes the teeth weaker and more susceptible to tooth discoloration and other dental problems. Though teeth whitening treatment can get rid of stains, you will need to continue good oral hygiene to remove this plaque in a timely manner and avoid forming more discoloration.
Attend Routine Dental Check-Ups
At-home care will make strides to keep your smile beautiful and healthy. But to maximize oral hygiene, you should attend your regular dentist appointments. During these visits, a dentist will clean your teeth, especially in tricky spots where your toothbrush cannot easily reach.
The dentist will also take the opportunity to evaluate your oral health during these appointments. They check for early signs of cavities and other issues that could weaken your smile. Then they can treat the problems before they seriously harm the look and feel of your smile.
This preventative dental care preserves your oral health and also ensures your smile can continue to look its best and brightest. With proper maintenance like this, your teeth whitening treatment can endure for three years.