Caring For Your Whitened Smile
Your teeth are several shades brighter! For the next 48 hours your enamel is more porous and your teeth soak up color easily, so this short window is when your habits matter most. Follow the white diet below to lock in your results.
The First 48 Hours
This is the most important window. Your teeth will pick up stain easily, so avoid anything that could stain a white shirt:
- No coffee, tea, red wine, or cola.
- No berries, tomato sauce, soy sauce, or curry.
- No colored or dark foods and drinks.
- No smoking or tobacco, which stains quickly.
What You Can Have
- Stick to white and clear foods: chicken, fish, rice, pasta with white sauce, potatoes, bananas, plain yogurt.
- Water is your best friend.
- If you must drink something colored, use a straw to keep it off your teeth.
Sensitivity
- Some cold sensitivity or quick zingers are normal for a day or two. This is temporary.
- A sensitivity toothpaste such as Sensodyne, used daily, helps a lot.
- Stick to lukewarm foods and drinks while teeth feel sensitive.
Call Us If
- Sensitivity is severe or lasts beyond a few days instead of fading.
- You notice white or splotchy patches on the gums that are sore.
- One tooth has a sharp, lingering ache rather than a quick zinger.
- Anything concerns you about your comfort or your results.
How To Keep Your Smile Bright
Whitening is not permanent, but how you care for your teeth decides whether your results last months or years. A few simple habits keep them bright.
- Rinse or sip water after coffee, tea, wine, or anything dark to keep stain from settling in.
- Use a straw for staining drinks so they bypass your front teeth.
- Touch up as directed and keep your regular cleanings, which remove surface stain and keep your smile fresh.
Mind the first 48 hours and protect your results, and your bright smile will last!
Questions about your whitening or your results? Call the office anytime. We are here for you!
