Taking Care of Your Teeth after Undergoing Professional Teeth Whitening By drednarcisi on July 04, 2014

A young brunette woman wearing sunglasses and displaying her bright, white teeth Advanced, in-office teeth whitening is one of the most transformative procedures in all of dentistry. After an office visit that lasts about an hour, patients can leave our office with teeth that are multiple shades whiter, with a dramatic reduction in the appearance of stains and possibly even a completely stain-free smile. The results of teeth whitening can last for several years, especially if patients take care of their newly whitened teeth properly after treatment.

At the cosmetic dentistry practice of Edward Narcisi, DMD in Pittsburgh, teeth whitening aftercare is explained in detail to patients during their initial consultations. The more willing patients are to follow the aftercare instructions provided by Dr. Narcisi, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their teeth whitening results for years to come.

What should you do after teeth whitening treatment?

Given that teeth whitening has such a positive effect on the lives of so many patients, let’s begin by focusing on the positive: the things you can and should do after teeth whitening treatment. While you will receive specific recommendations from Dr. Narcisi, you should generally expect to:

Consume only water in the first hour after your treatment
Eat only white foods for 15 hours after your treatment: For example, you can enjoy chicken, white rice, cauliflower, water, and skim milk during this time. However, you should avoid “colorful” foods and beverages, such as red meat, tomatoes, broccoli, most breads (including, ironically, white bread), coffee, tea, wine, and beer.
Adopt a strict oral hygiene regimen: If you brushed, flossed, and visited the dentist regularly before your teeth whitening treatment, then you won’t have to make any adjustments to your post-treatment regimen. If, however, your oral hygiene regiment was a little lax, you will want to make immediate changes. You should be brushing your teeth twice a day and after every meal, flossing at least once a day, and visiting the dentist at least twice yearly.
Drink beverages through a straw as often as possible: Doing so will help to prevent potentially staining beverages from coming into contact with your newly whitening teeth.
Use mouthwash after every meal: This will help to get rid of those lingering food particles and excess acids that wear down the enamel of your whiter, brighter teeth, making them more vulnerable to discoloration.

What should you not do after teeth whitening treatment?

Just as there are several things you should do to promote the longevity of your teeth whitening results, there are several things you should avoid. Among other things, you should NOT:

Smoke within one to two days of treatment: Preferably, if you smoke, you will quit altogether, as nothing stains the teeth quite like nicotine. However, if you cannot quit, try to put off smoking for as long as possible - and at least one to two days - after your treatment.
Use whitening kits to touch up your results at home only as directed: When it comes to teeth whitening, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Overwhitening your teeth can cause irreparable damage to the enamel. Use at-home whitening kits precisely as directed.
Overindulge in foods and beverages that could stain your teeth: Although in-office teeth whitening treatments can safely be repeated as necessary, you should try to minimize your exposure to the agents that stained your teeth in the first place. Be aware of your intake of foods and beverages that could stain your teeth and try to limit them. When you do consume them, be sure to rinse your mouth and brush your teeth afterwards.