You finally took the plunge and got your teeth professionally whitened. You were tired of the stains, the discoloration, the lack of brightness that showed every time you parted your lips.
At Portrait Dental, we offer this service in two ways for our patients. The Philips Zoom! teeth whitening procedure is done in-office and includes a bleaching solution painted on your teeth, followed by exposure to a laser that triggers a chemical bleaching reaction, making your smile up to eight shades lighter.
We also offer a take-home version of the treatment that includes specialized mouthguards that hold a bleaching solution against your teeth for a few hours each night for a week or two.
With either treatment, you’ll want to make sure your resulting white teeth last as long as possible. Here are five tips to extend your teeth whitening results:
Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day is the foundation for keeping your teeth in good health as well as keeping them sparkling white. Avoid harsh toothpaste and hard-bristle brushes that could damage your teeth and gums.
This is pretty straightforward. Darker, sugary, acidic foods and beverages have greater potential to stain your teeth, so limit your consumption to keep your teeth as white as possible. For example, this includes berries, chocolate, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and drinks like sodas, tea, wine, and coffee.
You know how you always hear that you should drink a lot of water? That’s correct for multiple reasons, from body temperature to digestion and more.
Staying hydrated also affects your teeth in two important ways: It rinses your mouth of food particles that could stain your teeth, and it ensures you have a good supply of saliva, which neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in your mouth that can weaken the enamel on your teeth, leading to discoloration.
Even if you do a great job with your at-home oral hygiene, you’ll still have plaque and bacteria in your mouth that can only be removed with a professional cleaning. Keep up with these visits to make sure your smile stays white as long as possible.
Smoking and tobacco use can coat your teeth with nicotine and tar, causing them to develop yellow and brown stains faster than you realize. Smoking also increases your risk of tooth decay and gum disease, and it increases your risk of heart disease, cancer, and more. In short: Stay away.
These tips will extend the results of your teeth whitening procedure. To schedule your initial teeth whitening treatment, call the Portrait Dental office in Katy, Texas, or use our convenient online scheduler anytime.
