After you have your teeth whitened you want to follow the after-care instructions to ensure that you do not have to go back every three months to correct the problem. One teeth whitening procedure may be all it takes – if you follow the instructions given by your dentist. There could be many reasons why your teeth were stained prior to the treatment and avoiding these reasons for at least the first 24 hours is able to ensure that you’re not back in the office within a couple of months.
Instructions for After-Care
- Do not smoke for at least 12 hours, 24 if you can help it. There are many ingredients inside cigarettes that are able to stain the teeth – especially in the 24 hour time period after treatment.
• Eat only white foods. This is a rule of thumb since you do not want to go out and eat bright red tomatoes that might stain but rather stick to white chicken, pasta, potatoes and cauliflower.
• Do not drink coffee, tea, soda, colored juices or red wine. Any of these deeply colored drinks can stain the teeth. Water is the best to drink for the first 24 hours after whitening.
• Do not put lipstick or lipgloss on during this time. Lipstick is a known cause for staining teeth since the color is semi-permanent.
• Do not use an at home whitening kit on your teeth for at least a month or two, and if you decide to use one after this time – be very cautious since you can weaken your teeth and may over-whiten.
• Rinse your mouth after each meal to ensure that you do not leave staining food and drinks in your mouth for too long.
• Brush and floss regularly to ensure that you remove harmful buildup that could be staining your teeth. This is also good oral hygiene and can keep your teeth whiter for a longer period of time.
• Use a straw as much as possible when drinking anything. This minimizes contact from the liquid to your teeth which can minimize staining.
• Sensitivity can happen, although uncommon for the first one to two days after the procedure. Brush your teeth until the sensitivity goes away. If you have previous dental problems such as cracked, missing, broken teeth or cavities, sensitivity from the procedure can be intensified so it is recommended that you have these problems fixed prior to the teeth whitening in Antioch process.
Speaking with your dentist about this procedure will give you more information regarding having it done that is custom to your unique needs and the severity of the staining on your teeth. The dentist is able to provide valuable information, make you feel more comfortable with the procedure and allow you to understand what to expect once the procedure is completed.
