Things You Have To Avoid Doing After Undergoing A Professional Teeth Whitening Treatment

Toothpaste, gel, and mouthwashes that promise whiter teeth with regular use aren’t too expensive. However, the same can’t be said for professional or in-office teeth whitening treatments. These teeth whitening treatments, handled by qualified dental practitioners, can cost hundreds of dollars. Although they are more expensive, patients would have little or no complaint about this procedure since they can see changes or results immediately, especially when compared to the results offered by over-the-counter and do-it-yourself teeth whitening treatments.

Because this dental procedure is costly, patients who recently underwent this treatment should be a bit careful and meticulous about retaining its effects. After all, who wants to lose the brightness and sheen your teeth have after just a week after you spent hours and hundreds of dollars on this dental procedure?

As such, there are certain things you have to avoid doing after a professional teeth whitening procedure. These include the following:

Vigorously brushing your teeth. This is a practice you should avoid doing, even if you did not undergo a teeth whitening treatment. Brushing your teeth too vigorously will be counterproductive for the next 48 hours after the treatment because your teeth are sensitive. In addition, brushing your teeth too hard can cause you to scratch the surface of your teeth and make it prone to “scarring,” which then can lead to surface cavities.

Smoking. Tobacco is one of the main enemies of your health and teeth. Smoking can easily stain your sensitive teeth. If smoking is your vice, it is probably the main reason why you have stained teeth and why you need to undergo an in-office teeth whitening treatment. To have better-looking teeth and oral health, quit smoking as early as you can.

Drinking straight from bottles and glasses. Leading cosmetic dentists instruct teeth whitening patients not to drink straight from bottles or glasses for the next 24 to 48 hours. This is because direct contact with hot or cold beverages will increase the sensitivity levels of your teeth and stain your newly treated pearly whites as well.

Eating and drinking highly pigmented food and beverages. After a teeth whitening procedure, you have to avoid consuming beets, chocolates, red wine, coffee, dark teas, and any food loaded with artificial food coloring, especially for the next 48 hours after the treatment. These products will simply render the dental procedure useless. In lieu of these food items, eat more foods that have a polishing effect on the teeth such as leafy vegetables.

Breathing through your mouth. Lastly, breathing through your mouth can increase the sensitivity of your teeth after the treatment. As much as possible, always keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose to prevent your newly treated teeth from coming in contact with cold air and feeling sore.

Read more tips about teeth whitening from a trusted dentist here.