Aftercare For Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is the process of lightening the color of your teeth. It can be done at home or in a dental office. After this process, following a few aftercare tips is essential for prolonged results. They are as follows:

Avoid Dark Beverages

After your in-office whitening treatment, you may notice some sensitivity to hot and cold beverages. Not only that, drinking dark beverages can affect the results, so it is better to avoid them as much as you can. Choose to rinse your mouth with water soon after drinking any of it.

Avoid Tobacco

Tobacco of any kind can stain your teeth. It can also cause your gums to recede. This can expose your dentin, which can become discolored.

Tobacco can also increase your risk of developing oral cancer and gum disease.

If you’re a smoker, consider quitting. You will most likely notice an improvement in your pearly whites as well as your teeth and gums.

Avoid Coffee

For the best whitening results, it’s not advised to consume coffee, tea, soda, or other dark beverages. These foods and drinks can stain your teeth, making it more difficult to see visible results.

Use Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride is a mineral that helps prevent cavities. In fact, it’s added to toothpaste to help strengthen enamel and prevent cavities. We recommend using fluoride toothpaste after teeth whitening. Fluoride toothpaste will help keep teeth white by helping to protect the enamel from discoloration.

Rinse with Salt Water

Salt water might sound uncomfortable, but it can really benefit the teeth after whitening. Rinsing with salt water can:

• Help reduce tooth sensitivity
• Help reduce any tooth or gum sensitivity
• Clean and freshen the oral cavity
• Help remove residual debris in the oral cavity after bleaching
• Clean out unwanted bacteria in the oral cavity
• Help remove lingering stains and discoloration on the teeth.

What are the Causes of Teeth Whitening?

There are a number of different causes of teeth whitening. The most common causes are consuming stain-causing foods and beverages, tobacco use, certain medications, and aging.

If your teeth are stained, you may want to consider teeth whitening. The American Dental Association notes that teeth whitening is not recommended for children under 13 and pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Call us at 773-880-2310 or email us at office@sheffieldsquaredental.com to schedule your appointment. Visit Sheffield Square Dental Care at 2835 N. Sheffield Ave, Suite 305, Chicago, IL 60657.