At Carol E. Follette DDS, we take great pride in providing our customers with a first-class teeth whitening experience. Nothing beats a bright, healthy smile, and our team offers professional support and insight before, during, and after your visit. Today we’re focusing on the “after” part of a whitening treatment – specifically, preventative care that ensures your terrific smile lasts a long, long time.
Brush Your Teeth Properly
A teeth whitening treatment comes with a big boost of confidence and increased self-esteem, but don’t let post-whitening euphoria distract you from the most important step in maintaining you fresh new smile: brushing your teeth. It’s a good idea to brush not just in the morning and at night, but also after every meal. This is especially important if you’re in the habit of having a glass of wine for dinner, coffee at breakfast, and a soda every now and then during lunch. These beverages are notorious teeth-stainers, and certain foods we eat can also cause staining. Your best bet after having your teeth whitened is to increase, and not decrease, your brushing habits.
Less Drinking and Smoking
If you’ve spent any time around our teeth whitening dentist, you’ve no doubt heard us discuss the negative effects that alcohol and smoking can have on your teeth. If you look at your teeth whitening procedure as an investment, it should be easy to find the motivation to at least reduce your alcohol intake and smoking, if not remove them entirely from your daily life (especially the smoking). The nicotine in tobacco and the tannins in wine and other alcoholic drinks can reverse the effects of even the most comprehensive tooth-whitening procedure.
Use a Straw
Drinks like soda, iced tea, and anything else fizzy contains caffeine, tannins, and other chemicals that can stain your teeth. But when you drink these beverages through a straw, you greatly reduce the contact that these chemicals have with your teeth. A big gulp of iced tea or lemonade on a hot day can be hugely rewarding, but switching to a straw is a great way to keep your teeth as white as can be.
Choose Whitening Toothpaste
Whitening toothpastes aren’t just a marketing ploy – they actually work. The bleaching agents in these products, while not highly concentrated, is definitely enough to oxidize/remove stains from teeth. When you regularly use a whitening toothpaste, you’re able to consistently break down any stains on your teeth before they become too ingrained. The stains are brushed away and your teeth stay white, just the way you like them.
Opt For Smudge-Proof Lipstick
Although lipstick smudging happens less frequently than it did a couple of decades ago, there are still some lipsticks on the market whose composition makes them liable to stick to a person’s teeth. And in some cases, the pigments in the lipstick can cause discoloration. We recommend staying on the safe side and choosing smudge-proof lipstick.
Make an Appointment Today
Carol E. Follette is a cosmetic dentist that countless California residents rely on for teeth whitening, veneers, family dentistry, and much more. Make an appointment today and trust your smile to our capable team.