Keeping Your Teeth White Following Teeth Whitening

This staining will return over time as the teeth collect stains again. To protect against this, there are steps you can take to help keep your teeth looking beautiful after teeth whitening. Here at Leigh Dental Centre, we have some top tips to keep your smile bright and white. 

You already know it is important to brush and floss your teeth daily, quit smoking and attend the dentist for regular check-ups – but there are also certain foods and drinks you should be mindful of to help reduce staining to your pearly whites.

Which foods cause dental stains?

An easy way to identify if a food or drink item has the potential to stain your teeth is to think about what might happen if you were to first spill this on a tablecloth. Anything that has the ability to stain a tablecloth or t‑shirt will have the ability to stain your teeth. This includes:

Wine

Red wine is acidic and contains tannins, most commonly thought of as being in tea. This gives the drink the potential to cause a large amount of staining on your teeth.

Wherever possible try to intersperse glasses of water in between the wine, not only will this help to reduce any potential hangover the following day, it will also help to reduce the level of staining of your teeth.

You can also pair a glass of wine with some raw chopped veggies like carrot sticks and celery. A small piece of cheese can also help to protect your teeth from the staining effects.

Tea

Like wine, ordinary tea is rich in stain promoting tannins. Many dentists say that staining from tea can be an even bigger problem than staining from coffee as it is low in tannins.

If you can’t bear the thought of giving up your morning brew, why not consider switching to a herbal, green or white tea which has all been shown to have much less staining capacity.

Spices

Certain spices like paprika and turmeric are more likely to leave stains on your teeth. If it stains your fingers while you are cooking, then you can be confident it will also leave stains on your teeth.

Fizzy Drinks

Not only do you need to be concerned with the dark coloured fizzy drinks which have the ability to stain your teeth, but lighter coloured drinks are also sufficiently acidic that they promote the staining of teeth by other foods and drinks that you may have at the same time. Also, fizzy drinks are often enjoyed cold, and this has the effect of causing teeth to contract, making them more porous and easier to stain.

Dark Sauces

Dark sauces used to flavour foods can also have the same staining effect. Soy Sauce, balsamic vinegar and tomato sauces are often used sauces that can have a detrimental effect on the brightness of your smile. 

If the sauce is sticky, this will be even worse for your teeth as this likely means that it is high in sugar and will adhere to your teeth. Examples of this include things like teriyaki sauce and barbeque sauce. 

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, cherries and other intensely coloured fruit also have the potential to cause stains. This is true no matter what form they come in whether juices, smoothies, pies or cakes.

One way to avoid staining is to eat lettuce, spinach or broccoli at the start of your meal, these vegetables form a protective film over teeth so that foods that stain cannot seep into your teeth’s pores. 

How can I keep my teeth looking bright and white?

If you’ve just had a teeth whitening treatment and want to maintain the results, we recommend making sure that you brush twice a day with a whitening toothpaste. You can also try adding a whitening mouthwash into your daily routine to make sure your teeth are perfectly clean.

You can also commit to regular trips to the dental hygienist. They can complete a deep cleaning that will help to prevent surface stains from building up on your teeth.

You can also arrange top up teeth whitening treatments that will help to maintain the results without over-whitening the teeth. Excessive use of whitening products could be risky, as it can damage the enamel and leave your teeth feeling permanently sensitive. It can also lead to a glassy look that cannot be reversed.

To prevent this, always follow your dentist’s advice when it comes to whitening products. They will guide you on how often you can complete these treatments without risking damage to your teeth.

You should also consider giving up habits like smoking, as this is another leading cause of dental staining. 

What is the best time to start teeth whitening before an event?

Teeth whitening treatments aren’t instant, so you’ll need to time this perfectly if you want to have white teeth for the event, but don’t want to leave it so long that your staining could return. Most whitening systems take around 2 weeks for the results to show, with optimum results achieved after around 3 – 4 weeks.

By scheduling your whitening treatment for one month before a big event (like your wedding) you can enjoy the optimum results, with fewer risks that sensitivity could impact your special day. It’s soon enough that the results will be at their best, and you won’t have had a chance to contribute to new staining yet. 

Final thoughts on teeth whitening maintenance

Avoiding certain foods and lifestyle habits can help you to keep your teeth white and bright. You can also book in for an appointment with the hygienist, who will be able to advise you on the best oral hygiene routine to keep your teeth looking white and remove any stain build-up.

Call Leigh Dental Centre today on 01702 472929 and book a consultation with our hygienist to keep your teeth bright and white.