How do you like your brand new smile? Did you just go through a teeth whitening procedure? How was it for you? The truth is, people go through different experiences when they opt for a teeth whitening procedure but in general, a patient that comes in for a bleaching procedure, will come out with a brighter, whiter and more beautiful smile. It is definitely something to celebrate about and if you want to hold on to hold on to this feeling, you will do all you can to prolong and preserve the results you obtained.
So what can you do to help maintain the results from your teeth whitening procedure?
1. Avoid colored food, beverage and other substances. Your teeth can gradually stain and discolor due to the substances that come into contact with it. It may be your food, beverage, medications and so forth. Basically, if you are not mindful about what you take in, and they happen to be highly staining, your teeth while lose its beautiful whiteness. Teeth whitening will resolve that issue, but the same substances that disclored them in the first place can just bring it back to that state, once again. If you really want to prolong your teeth whitening results, therefore, you will have to refrain from taking in these substances. You should avoid food with heavy sauces such as tomato sauce, curry, soy sauce and the like. You should also stay away from coffee, tea, red wine and other colored drinks. If you cannot avoid such substances, completely, make it a habit to flush your mouth with water.
2. Stop smoking. If you are a smoker, it would be best if you stop the habit because not only is smoking bad for you, but nicotine can stain your teeth and render your expensive teeth whitening procedure, no good. If you really cannot stop this bad habit, make sure to gargle with water after finishing a cigarette to somehow flush the nicotine away from the teeth surface.
3. Drink more water. If you have noticed, the single most effective way to combat potential stains is to drink water. Now, understand that within our mouths we have the saliva which acts as a natural cleanser. Unfortunately the viscosity of one’s saliva will dictate its ability to do a good job at cleaning and by drinking a lot of water, you make it the right kind of fluid to effectively flush staining particles away from the teeth. Sticky saliva will be a problem because it will even attract stains to cling on to teeth, so always make sure to hydrate, to keep the saliva flowing. Water is healthy
4. Do whitening touch-ups at home. Another good way to preserve your teeth whitening results will be to carryout small efforts to touch-up the results. There are several take home options from the simple usage of whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes, to actual teeth whitening products such as whitening strips, gels and trays and pens. The practice is when you notice the whiteness fading; you can do a quick touch up to restore your teeth to your desired shade. You can keep doing this, so you do not go back to how it was before the in-office procedure.
