Once you get your brighter smile after a professional whitening treatment, you may be excited about your results. Your refreshed grin may make you more confident, but it’s important to preserve your results. A great way to do this is to avoid certain foods and drinks for the first few days after your service. Your teeth are more vulnerable to stains for a short while, so here is what to steer clear of.
1.) Anything Acidic
These may indirectly cause discoloration. Items like pickles, limes, oranges, grapefruit, and processed meats can wear down your enamel the more you eat them. They may not cause the stains themselves, but they increase your risk of them. Not only that, but you may end up with some sensitivity to hot and cold things as well!
2.) Dark-Colored Drinks and Sauces
Although your teeth may look and feel completely solid, they are actually porous. When you drink or eat anything that’s dark-colored, the pigments may find their way into these small places. It can cause discoloration while being hard to wash away. Tea, coffee, red wine, mustard, and tomato sauce are some options that you should avoid for the time being.
3.) Certain Fruits and Vegetables
It might seem odd that something that’s beneficial for your health can be bad for your aesthetic smile, but it’s mainly the dark options. Pomegranates, cherries, beets, spinach, berries, and carrots can lead to stains if you have them too often. Instead, you may want to go for bananas, coconut, pears, celery, and broccoli.
4.) Foods That Have Dyes
This may be a bit obvious, but it’s always good to have a quick reminder! These can dull your smile the more you eat them or have them linger in your mouth. Sports drinks, candy, and popsicles may be tasty, but they can cause discoloration.
In short, a good way to tell if something is safe to eat right after your teeth whitening is that if it can stain a white shirt, then it can do the same to your teeth! Do your best in avoiding the categories above; that way, you get to keep your results for as long as possible. After a few days, you can reintroduce them to your diet, but be sure to keep brushing and flossing. That way, you reduce your risk of them causing the flaw you worked hard to get rid of!
About the Author
At Riviera Family Dentistry of Mesquite, you benefit from a team of skilled dentists who look after you and your oral health. We know how a less-than-perfect smile can make you self-conscious, so we offer a wide range of treatments to enhance it, like teeth whitening. Once you get to results you love, we can help you learn how to maintain them to enjoy them for longer. If you are interested in this service, schedule an appointment or call our office at (214) 764-0112.