Summary:
If it can stain your clothes, it can affect your teeth, too!
This helpful advice should help you make eating and drinking decisions over the next 48 hours after a tooth whitening procedure.
Teeth discoloration is a prevalent concern, often significantly influenced by eating and dietary habits. Consuming certain food items can discolor your smile.
It tends to discolor your teeth when not cared for, resulting in a visibly dull smile.
Therefore, in this blog, we take a closer look at the link between diet and teeth whitening via topics like:
- What Stains Your Teeth?
- Short-Term Effects of Teeth Whitening
- The White Diet: Secret to Lasting Smile
- Food Items to Avoid Post-Teeth Whitening
- How Long Does Teeth Whitening Results Last?
So continue reading as we learn more about food items to consume post-whitening in the following sections.
What Stains Your Teeth?
Chromogens, tannins, and acids are the three leading causes of tooth discoloration. These are found in many typical meals and can discolor or weaken the enamel, letting stains penetrate more easily.
While living without some of the items listed below may appear challenging, remember that they are only required for 48 hours following treatment. It’s a modest, temporary sacrifice that will help you keep your lovely white teeth longer.
Short-Term Effects of Teeth Whitening
Tooth whitening in Tupelo is an effective treatment to enhance your smile. It is the most sought-after oral procedure, followed by nearly 37 million Americans. The procedure aims to improve your smile by enhancing it by a few shades.
However, while there are several perks to professional teeth whitening, it’s essential to understand what causes teeth yellowing, too. So, let’s have a closer look at the two primary reasons for yellow teeth:
- Dentin Exposure: Teeth whitening frequently employs hydrogen peroxide to bleach discolored regions, making them whiter. This procedure may momentarily expose the dentin layer, increasing tooth sensitivity. As mentioned earlier, the dentin layer is more sensitive to infection and erosion. Thus, it’s critical to understand what foods to avoid after teeth whitening.
- Gum Irritation: The procedure may also irritate your soft tissues, which can be painful. Fortunately, in almost all cases, this is a transient adverse effect that resolves one to three days following therapy.
A white diet helps avoid tooth discoloration during this period but can also help lower the degree of discomfort you experience in your gums. Let’s learn more about it in the following section.
The White Diet: Secret to Lasting Smile
The white diet consists of foods that are less prone to discolor your teeth following teeth whitening. However, ingesting them does not guarantee that your teeth will return to their natural color. It’s more about consuming meals that leave fewer stains after teeth whitening.
The white diet often limits your intake of dark pigment-rich foods such as blueberries, broccoli, red wine, and items that stain easily, such as black tea. The idea is to keep the new enamel on your teeth as white as possible. This is not a strict diet plan but a collection of suggestions you should strive to follow.
However, before you follow the treatment, it is crucial to note that everyone’s teeth are unique. Thus, some people may require a more restrictive diet than others.
Food Items to Avoid Post-Teeth Whitening
The following foods and beverages contain natural pigments or artificial dyes, which can accumulate over time and cause discoloration.
You don’t have to avoid these meals permanently. Because your teeth are most sensitive in the first few days following a whitening process, Tupelo, MS, dentists recommend avoiding certain foods for up to 48 hours, namely:
1. Wine
Both red and white wines can damage the color and enamel of your teeth. Red wine has a high acidity level and is prone to staining due to its dark hue. White wine, despite its lighter tint, can also dissolve enamel.
2. Coffee & Tea
Giving up coffee or tea for a few days may be difficult, but doing so can help you prevent one of the most common sources of stains.
Coffee and tea contain tannins, which can accumulate over time and discolor the color of your teeth. Tannins can discolor your teeth much faster after a professional whitening since they are more porous.
Limit your coffee and tea consumption for a few days after whitening your teeth. If you can’t go without your morning brew a day, try drinking it through a straw to help minimize contact with your teeth.
3. Soft Drinks
If it fizzes, you may want to avoid it. Carbonated beverages are heavy in sugar and acid, damaging dental enamel. Dark-colored colas can also cause surface stains. Even if you are not on the White Diet, avoiding soft drinks will help you have healthier, whiter teeth.
4. Candy & Chocolate
Refined sugars can cause decay, erosion, and discoloration, mainly if your teeth are sensitive following whitening. Therefore, avoid chocolate and artificially colored candies immediately following your operation.
5. Dark Fruits
Dark-colored fruits contain compounds that can discolor teeth. If a fruit is very acidic, it can also cause enamel erosion. It may be beneficial to avoid fruits with dark liquids, such as raspberries, cherries, blueberries, pomegranates, and blackberries. Stay clear from juices that contain these fruits.
Other Ways to Protect Your Teeth After Whitening
- Quit smoking: Nicotine, whether found in cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or e-cigarettes, can cause yellowing of the enamel, which can be challenging to remove. Quitting tobacco will improve not just your teeth but also your general oral health.
- Regular dental checkups and cleanings: Teeth whitening should not be the only reason you see the dentist; regular examinations and dental cleanings are essential for keeping your smile healthy.
However, don’t exclude healthful fruits from your diet for too long—it’s safe to resume eating your favorites 48 hours after whitening.
How Long Does Teeth Whitening Results Last?
The duration of teeth whitening outcomes is determined by several factors, including the type of treatment utilized, age, and dental health. Home whitening products, like tray-based methods, often last around six months.
Whitening treatments at the dentist might take three to six months, depending on the intensity of the procedure. Additionally, veneers and other types of dental treatment can survive for years after teeth whitening as long as they are kept clean and undamaged.
Takeaway
- Teeth discoloration is a prevalent concern, often significantly influenced by eating and dietary habits.
- The white diet often limits your intake of dark pigment-rich foods such as blueberries, broccoli, and red wine.
- Dark-colored fruits contain compounds that can discolor teeth.
- Still, worried about the possibilities of teeth whitening? Let’s clear your confusion at Main Street Dentistry today!