Ways to Extend the Results of Teeth Whitening

The moment you open your mouth, you tell the world a lot about yourself, and you don’t even need to say a word — your smile speaks volumes. Without uttering a syllable, it sends instant messages about your health, your hygiene, and your age. 

If your teeth are giving away your secrets or, worse, giving the wrong information, it’s time to get serious about professional teeth whitening. According to the American Dental Association, most people wished for whiter teeth when asked about what they’d like to do to improve their smile. And whether you’re just starting to consider it or you’ve just had it done, you want to keep them looking great for as long as you can.

At Laguna Vista Dental in Elk Grove, California, our team of cosmetic and general dentistry providers want to help you keep your newly whitened teeth bright and healthy, too. That’s why we’ve compiled these tips for ensuring long-lasting results.

Watch out for foods that stain

You know what deeply colored foods do if you drop them on your lap or dribble them down your shirt. A good rule of thumb is that if it stains your clothes, it can also stain your teeth. Some of the worst offenders are:

• Coffee and tea
• Red wine
• Candy, sports drinks, and colas
• Certain sauces (like soy and tomato)

Berries are especially problematic, as they contain pigments that stain teeth. But that doesn’t mean you should cut them out of your diet altogether because they contain a lot of healthy nutrients.

You can mitigate the staining power of berries and other dark foods and beverages by swishing some water around in your mouth to flush away food particles and rinse off your teeth after you eat them. Better yet, after your meal, head to the bathroom and brush your teeth.

Suck it up

Every time you take a drink, the liquid bathes your teeth, and if the liquid is colored, it also stains your teeth. Drinking beverages through a straw can help extend the results of your teeth whitening by causing the liquid to bypass the front of your teeth altogether. 

Eliminate tobacco from your life

We can list all of the health dangers associated with smoking, but you probably already know about the risk of heart disease, lung disease, and cancer. What you may not know is that tobacco also stains your teeth. Every puff coats them in nicotine and yellows the enamel.

Chewing tobacco is also a problem as the tobacco comes into direct contact with your teeth. Stay away from tobacco, and your white teeth stay whiter longer.

Keep up good oral hygiene

Brushing and flossing are the best ways to avoid cavities and gum disease, and they’re also your best defense against staining and yellowing. If you brush twice a day, floss once a day, and rinse out your mouth in between, you give yourself an advantage when it comes to keeping your new whitening treatment going.

When you're ready to get your teeth whitened, our team uses the safest, most powerful teeth-whitening agents available. Whether you want to get the job done here in our office or prefer to do it at home, we can provide you with the right tools and solutions that deliver results that are far superior to the products you can find in your local drugstore. 

To schedule your professional teeth whitening session, Call now to book your appointment, or request an appointment online.