Choosing Your Foods Right After Teeth Whitening

Dec 01 , 2021

Generally, after any dental procedure, you must be careful about what and how you eat. It is not a restriction that dentists at Monarch Dentistry place just to dull your life. Instead, making wise choices when it comes to your meal affects the success of your dental treatment. This applies even to simple and quick dental procedures like teeth whitening in Brantford – King George.

What Is Teeth Whitening?

It is a dental process for whitening the enamels of teeth through bleaching protocols. Although there are other alternatives for whitening teeth that do not involve bleaching enamels, professional teeth whitening directly targets the stains on the surfaces and inner layers of teeth.

​Teeth whitening treatments done by a dental expert should not last for more than an hour. Usually, in about 45 minutes or less, your teeth bleaching procedure will be complete.

Understanding Teeth Whitening Procedures

The process of whitening teeth entails applying a whitening product on the surfaces, then using laser light to activate the bleaching elements. In about three or four rounds of bleaching and rinsing, the stains on your teeth should have faded enough for you to realize a drastic improvement in the color of your teeth. Many patients achieve up to four shades whiter, compared to the initial color of their teeth.

Caring for Your Teeth After Teeth Whitening

Immediately you notice an improvement in the color of your teeth, the initial response to the outcome is to find ways for sustaining your teeth just as white as they are. One thing you must know is that the teeth whitening treatment is not permanent. Although the results of professional teeth whitening last longer than natural at-home alternatives, they are not permanent. In about 12 months, you will require a repeat procedure to whiten your teeth again, based on your preferences.

More importantly, how you care for your teeth after your treatment affects the longevity of your results. Some patients may need a repeat procedure sooner than others. The primary care instructions revolve around keeping your teeth clean after all your meals. When you are intentional about whitening your teeth, you will have fewer reasons to be restrictive of your food choices.

Making the Right Food Choices After Teeth Whitening

Foods to Avoid:

When on a white diet, a term used to refer to food choices you should make after teeth whitening, certain foods can stain your teeth and undermine your teeth whitening treatment results. For the first 48 hours after getting your teeth whitened, be very intentional to avoid the following foods:

1. Acidic foods – corrode your enamel and promote enamel thinning. Acidic foods include lemons, oranges, tomatoes, to mention a few.
2. Heavily pigmented foods – they can easily stain your teeth. They include red wine, coffee, tea, berries, ketchup, beetroot, among others.
3. Sugary foods – release acids that corrode teeth and increase the chances of dental cavities.
4. Tobacco – smoking and other tobacco usage are outrightly detrimental to the color of your teeth.
5. Alcohol – cut down on alcohol consumption, or better yet, quit for good.

If you must take such foods, be careful to brush and floss your teeth afterward.

What to Eat:

Plenty of foods are good for your oral health, including the following:

1. Raw and crunchy foods and vegetables like carrots, apples, and celery. The crunch in them is great for removing plaque and layered food residues from the surfaces of your teeth.
2. Fruits and vegetables – are generally great for providing nutrients necessary for strong and healthy teeth. Besides, the nutrients from fruits and vegetables will benefit your general body health. You may, however, need to be careful about some fruits like blackberries, which have dark pigments that may stain your whitened teeth.
3. Milk and other dairy products – will provide calcium, helpful for strengthening teeth. Stick to white cheese and white yogurt instead of their counterparts that may contribute to the stains.
4. Chicken or turkey – are great meat choices, even just for your general body health.
5. Rice and pasta – be, however, be careful about the sauces you use on your pasta.