Getting teeth whitening can make you feel great, and it’s the perfect time to start taking your oral health more seriously. After your procedure, your enamel is a little bit more permeable than usual, which means that stains can penetrate deeper than they can under normal circumstances. You need to take special care around foods that can discolor your teeth in the days after your cosmetic treatment. Here are some you should watch out for.
Dark Sauces
Your teeth are covered in small pores that stains can soak into. Soy sauce, tomato paste, and mustard contain dark pigments that can form buildups in these pores. In the days after your whitening procedure, you should cut back on these sauces as much as possible. Try lighter condiments as substitutes, like mayo and vinegar.
Acidic Beverages
There’s another element to consider: acidity. Coffee, cola, and wine are infamous for staining teeth, in no small part due to their acid content. These beverages erode the top layer of enamel as you drink, which can allow the darker colors to penetrate deeper than they could otherwise. The problem is compounded if the drink is carbonated, like with soda. These beverages contain CO2, which the saliva in your mouth converts into an acid. Try sticking with plain water in the days after your procedure, or light smoothies that are low in sugar.
Dyed Food
There’s a reason food companies love to make their products have such fun colors. It’s appetizing to people— something about a bright orange sports drink or a dark blue food makes you feel like a kid again. But if you think back to when you had them all those years ago, you’d probably spend the rest of the day with your mouth dyed that same “fun color.” In the days after teeth whitening, your enamel can absorb the pigments in the food to such an extent that they discolor your teeth.
It’s best practice to have these foods in moderation, so cutting back in general isn’t a bad idea. But if parting with any of these foods is especially painful for you, don’t worry. Your teeth should stop being sensitive within a week. In the meantime, you’ve put a lot of work into making your teeth white; so you can do a little bit more to make sure they stay that way.
About Our Practice
At Claybrooke Dental of Gahanna, we want everyone to take care of their teeth, so we’ve made our services universally accessible. Between flexible financing options, sedation for nervous patients, and our excellent chairside manner we’ve removed every barrier to getting dental care. We also understand that oral health is connected to your entire body, so we take a holistic approach to our care. If you have any questions about keeping your teeth white, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (614) 475-1874.