Teeth whitening treatments are incredibly popular with patients. A bright, white smile can fill up a room and leave a lasting impression. If you decide to get a professional whitening treatment, you probably want the results to last as long as possible. Therefore, there are a few tips that you can try.
Maintain with Whitening Toothpaste
To help maintain a bright white shade, you might want to try using a whitening toothpaste when you brush your teeth. Most whitening toothpaste uses similar chemicals as a professional whitening treatment. However, the process and treatment that your dentist uses are much stronger and more efficient.
Whitening toothpaste typically contains hydrogen or carbamide peroxide or small abrasives to address stains. The chemicals will break down the stains before lifting them from your teeth. The abrasives will gently buff stains out of your teeth. Using a whitening toothpaste can help lengthen the results of your professional whitening by removing daily stains.
Avoid Staining Drinks
One of the main ways that you can extend the life of your professional whitening treatment is to watch your diet. You may not notice the color of your teeth changing over time, but it is largely due to the foods and drinks that you consume. A good rule to remember is that if a food or beverage has the ability to stain your clothes, it is likely that it will stain your teeth as well. It is very possible that some of your favorite drinks and foods can diminish the color of your teeth.
For example, coffee is an incredibly popular drink. Many people must begin their day with a cup of coffee. Work breaks and dates are built around coffee. In fact, some people can’t make it through the day without drinking a cup of coffee. However, coffee can leave behind stains. There are compounds in coffee called tannins that make it possible to turn your teeth yellow.
If you can’t give up your daily coffee, you should consider using a straw to protect your teeth. A straw will keep the coffee from making significant contact with your teeth, avoiding its full staining potential.
Another popular drink that can majorly stain your teeth is red wine. All over the world, people drink red wine for dinners and celebrations (or even a night in). Yet, red wine can damage your white smile. If you drink red wine, you may notice a purple hue that develops on your teeth after drinking. Generally, it will disappear after you brush your teeth. However, drinking red wine frequently can leave a purple stain on your teeth.
Rinse Your Mouth After Eating or Drinking
Since your diet can greatly impact the shade of your teeth, you can try rinsing your mouth with water after you finish eating or drinking. This can help minimize the staining power of what you consume. By rinsing your mouth, you are removing some of the particles that will leave behind stains.