Have you noticed yellowing, staining, or diminished color in your teeth? Poor oral habits could lead to this dental discoloration. But these stains may accrue due to factors outside your control too, like aging or medication side effects.
If you want to enhance your tooth color, you can schedule teeth whitening treatment with your dentist. Once you receive these benefits, you will want to make efforts to maintain this enhancement in your smile for as long as possible. Read on to find three tips from your dentist in Fox Lake, IL for elongating the cosmetic dental benefits of teeth whitening treatment.
How to Care for Your Smile After Teeth Whitening Treatment
Avoid Consuming Foods That Stain
A common cause of tooth discoloration is the consumption of foods and drinks that contain staining agents. For instance, dark-colored beverages, like red wine, coffee, or tea, have tannins. These substances absorb into the tooth enamel, the outer layer of the tooth, over time, leaving dark stains on the surface of the teeth.
Whitening treatment from your dentist targets these stains, bleaching the teeth to lift the discoloration and make them appear brighter according to your smile aesthetic goals. But if you expose your teeth to tannins again, you can form new stains.
Therefore, you should avoid foods and drinks with staining agents if you want to protect your enhanced tooth color after this cosmetic dental treatment. You can reduce your risk of forming stains by sipping dark-colored drinks through a straw. But this will not eliminate the chances entirely, so pay attention to your smile.
Continue Good Oral Hygiene
Keeping your teeth clean and healthy will allow them to better resist dental discoloration. The best way to keep your smile feeling and therefore looking its best is to practice good oral hygiene. This routine clears away plaque that may eat away at your smile. This can make the teeth vulnerable to stains as well as structural dental damage, even after a whitening treatment.
Proper oral hygiene includes brushing your teeth at least twice per day and flossing daily. Rinsing with a mouthwash that contains fluoride can boost oral hygiene as well as strengthen your tooth enamel.
Visit Your Dentist for Regular Check-Ups
A good oral hygiene routine will also include regular visits to your dentist’s office. During a routine appointment, a dentist cleans plaque and tartar build-up from your teeth that you cannot reach with your toothbrush and floss.
Your dentist will also examine your smile for signs of cavities, gum disease, or other dental problems that can impact the appearance and health of your teeth and gums. They will treat the issues before they can cause lasting dental damage.
This preventative care ensures you maintain good oral health. But it also allows the effects of your cosmetic dental treatment to last longer. With proper maintenance like this, your smile enhancement treatment can last for one to three years. Talk to your dentist if you think you would benefit from a touch-up appointment too.