Maintaining A White Smile Following Teeth Whitening Treatment
What can you do to keep your new white smile for as long as possible?
If you have had your teeth whitened at our Burton dental practice, it makes sense that you would want to keep your teeth as white as possible for as long as possible in order to get the most from your treatment. Inevitably, your teeth will eventually darken again due to the dentin changing colour as it naturally does as we become a little older. There are still things that you can do to keep your teeth whiter for longer though and we will take a look at these now.
Brush your teeth well
This one goes without saying really. Any staining on the surface enamel of your teeth can be largely removed by brushing them. A two minute brushing in the morning and the very last thing at night (with only water to drink afterwards) is a solid start to maintaining white (and healthy) teeth. You should also use floss to help minimise the risk of decay and gum disease. We also strongly recommend that you see the hygienist at SG Dental and Implant Centre on a six monthly basis as the scale and polish procedure that they provide will also help to remove surface staining from your teeth as well as helping to keep your gums healthy.
Avoid teeth staining food and drinks
There are a number of foods and drinks that you should avoid which are known to stain the teeth. These include red wine, tea, colas and also foods such as curry, dark berries and soy sauce. The list, unfortunately, is much longer than this and we would advise that you find out more about what you should and shouldn’t eat and adjust your diet accordingly.
Use a straw when drinking
If you drink a lot of soft drinks, some of these are likely to cause your teeth to become stained and discoloured. Even those that are clear will very likely contain acidic ingredients. These acids can cause enamel erosion which leaves a rough surface on your teeth. This makes it easier for staining ingredients to stick to your teeth. You can help to reduce this by using a straw and allowing the drink to largely bypass your teeth before swallowing.
Rinse after eating/drinking
You shouldn’t brush your teeth too soon after eating as the enamel is softer then and regularly doing so could damage your teeth. What you can do though is to rinse your mouth with water as soon as you can after eating. This will not only help to wash away staining food and drinks but also sugars that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
Don’t smoke
Smoking is bad for your general health and terrible for your teeth and gums. There is also some evidence that vaping may also be a contributing factor to tooth discolouration so you may wish to consider if you wish to vape or not. Smoking tobacco products though will not only stain your teeth but are also a significant contributor to gum disease and also potentially fatal oral cancers. If you haven’t already, this is one habit you should definitely ‘stub out’ without delay.
Your teeth whitening strategy
The above suggestions will help you keep your teeth whiter for longer but, as mentioned earlier, they will gradually discolour again. While some people are happy with a one off teeth whitening procedure for a big event such as a wedding, others look to have a more consistent whiteness for a longer period of time. We recommend discussing this with our Burton cosmetic dentist who will be able to discuss the best strategy for your own needs. For example, some people prefer to allow the whiteness to almost go before having the treatment repeated. Others may prefer to do this more often so that their whiteness remains more consistent and less obvious when they have the repeat treatment. It is your decision and we can help you to decide.
Dental veneers for a more permanent whiteness
Another option available to anyone who wants a white smile is to have porcelain veneers fitted to your teeth. This is a great way of maintaining white teeth for ten years or so before new veneers might need to be fitted. This does usually require an invasive treatment though, unlike teeth whitening, so you may wish to discuss the pros and cons with our dentist.
If you are thinking of having your teeth whitened for the spring and summer, now is a good time for you to discuss this with us. If you would like to arrange a consultation, please call the SG Dental and Implant Centre today on 01283 845345 and speak to one of our friendly reception team.