How to Prevent Rapid Teeth Discoloration after Undergoing a Teeth Whitening Procedure

All you have to do to brighten up your smile is see your cosmetic dentist for a teeth whitening procedure. However, with time, your brightened teeth will inevitably lose their white color again, and therefore you may think of re-whitening them. Your teeth may not stay white without help from you, so you should plan to keep them looking that way without too much repeated whitening procedures.

Here are some tips on how you can maintain a brighter smile for longer after having a teeth whitening procedure.

Diet management

One of the things that you will ideally have to do after a teeth whitening procedure is to avoid stain-causing foods and drinks. Some of the most notorious culprits when it comes to teeth discoloration include: drinks such as tea, coffee, and wine, and foods or food additives like blueberries, pasta sauce, curry and vinegar.

But truth be said, it is very hard to stay away from all stain-makers! For sure, you can give up a few stain-causing food additives and beverages, but you can't avoid them all. Perhaps having tea is a habit you don't want to stop or preparing your food without a little vinegar is almost unthinkable. Since such cases are typical for many people, there are a number of effective ways to moderate the effect of stain-makers:

1. Use a straw: when taking warm or cold beverages such as chilled red wine and iced coffee, drink from a straw to help keep your teeth from getting stained.
2. Use mouthwash: make sure you brush, floss, and rinse your teeth using antiseptic mouthwash immediately after having stain-causing foods as well as beverages that can't be taken with a straw, e.g. hot tea or coffee. This will help get rid of plaque that may form and accumulate on your teeth and cause discoloration.

Change of habits

If you chew or smoke tobacco, you should be aware that tobacco is a big culprit when it comes to teeth discoloration. As such, you need to consider quitting tobacco if you want to keep your smile looking brighter for longer after the teeth whitening procedure. Since it can be difficult to instantly stop taking tobacco due to nicotine withdrawal symptoms, consult your doctor to suggest cessation methods that can work for you. Your doctor may prescribe over-the-counter nicotine replacement medications like nicotine gum as well as provide information about support groups working in your local community.

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