Teeth whitening is a quick and easy service that your dentist uses to eliminate yellowing and boost confidence. However, its results don’t last forever, which is why it’s important for you to do anything you can to extend the life of your new dazzling smile. Thankfully, your dentist in Fayetteville has put together some pro tips on how to keep your teeth white after treatment. Keep reading to learn about the foods and habits you should avoid to maintain a pearly white grin.
Why are Teeth Vulnerable After Whitening?
Teeth whitening works by making your enamel more porous before adding a professional bleaching agent for beautiful results. Because your enamel is more porous, it can absorb more pigments than normal from foods and drinks. That’s why you should use the following tips during the first 48 hours after your teeth whitening!
Enemies of White Teeth: Watch Out for These Foods & Habits
A quick way to guess if a food item is bad for your newly whitened smile is the color. If it’s rich or bright in color, the food will probably cause staining. For this reason, you should watch out for these items:
- Black coffee or black tea
- Dark sodas
- Red wine
- Chocolate
- Ripe berries
- Tomato sauce
- Balsamic dressing
- Pizza (with marinara)
- Dark beer
- Curry and turmeric
There are also some poor lifestyle habits that can cause your whiteness to quickly fade. Tobacco use and smoking can lead to discoloration and yellowing in addition to raising your risk of other health issues. Additionally, heavily consuming alcohol, especially dark liquids like red wine and whiskey, can lead to permanent staining.
The Best Diet for White Teeth
As an easy rule, the color of most foods will be a sign of whether you should eat them or not. Eat foods and beverages that are clear, light, white or beige to protect your teeth from staining. Here are a few easy yet delicious examples:
- Breakfast: You can eat foods like scrambled eggs, plain yogurt, plain bagels, cereal with milk, white tea, water, and apple juice.
- Lunch: Sandwiches, clear soup, white cheeses, rice, veggies, and pasta with cream sauce are all great foods to eat after whitening.
- Dinner: Chicken, white fish, potatoes, and pizza with cream sauce are delicious dinner foods you can eat.
- Snacks: Try to snack on pretzels, crackers, chips, bananas, apples, or pears to maintain your white smile.
Now that you know some helpful tips on how to get the most out of your whitening treatment, you can close out the summer months with a beautifully bright set of teeth.
Meet the Dentist
Dr. Angela C. Ruff has lived in Fayetteville for over 30 years, where she loves helping the patients in her community. She enjoys boosting patients’ confidence with teeth whitening, which is why she wants you to know the best ways to keep your smile beautiful. She currently practices at Ascot Aesthetic Implants & Dentistry, and she can be reached through her website or by phone at (910) 630-6199 for any questions.