Teeth whitening can give you an instant and affordable confidence boost by brightening and whitening your smile and lifting your facial aesthetics, but to get the full benefits of this immensely popular cosmetic treatment, you need to follow your dentist’s aftercare advice.
Not only are there quite a few foods and drinks that you should avoid over the next few days following your whitening treatment, but you’ll also need to adhere to good dental hygiene to keep your teeth white and bright for longer.
Know Which Foods to Avoid
The first 24 to 48 hours after having a teeth whitening treatment are the most important and it’s essential to know which foods and drinks to avoid and stay away from them. It may seem difficult to avoid coffee or chocolate for a day or two, but the results will be worth the effort. The foods to avoid after your treatment include:
- Dark drinks which can stain your teeth: Red wine and coloured alcohol drinks, coffee, tea, cola and coloured soft drinks, fruit juice and energy drinks.
- Dark foods which can stain your teeth: Chocolate, beef, lamb, dark fish and poultry, tomato sauces, fruits (except bananas), soy sauce, pesto sauce and oily foods.
A good rule of thumb after you’ve had a teeth whitening treatment is to avoid any food that would stain a light-coloured shirt. You should also avoid smoking and vaping, as well as coloured toothpaste and mouthwash. Though you’ll still need to brush your teeth.
Which Foods Are Okay?
Clear drinks and white foods are the best choices after your teeth whitening session and while it may seem as though you’re limited in what you can eat afterwards, there are quite a few dining and drinking options to keep you going for the 24 to 48 hours when you should avoid foods which can stain your teeth. Food and drinks which are fine include:
- White meats like skinless chicken, white fish and seafood (avoid anything fatty)
- White rice, pasta and noodles (watch the sauce)
- Cauliflowers, white onions, peeled white potatoes and white or light-coloured vegetables
- Clear drinks like water, lemonade, coconut water and skimmed milk.
White spirits like gin or vodka mixed with soda water, tonic or lemonade are fine but, naturally, you shouldn’t overdo things as you need to give your teeth time to recover.
Long-Term Aftercare
The better you care for your teeth the greater the results, so you’ll not only need to take care over the following day or so afterwards, but also long-term. That means brushing your teeth regularly and correctly and flossing at least once a week. In fact, you need to do this to keep your teeth looking white and healthy even if you didn’t just have your teeth whitened.
If you’re looking for a teeth whitening specialist on the Brisbane northside, contact Mango Hill Dental. We provide professional, non-invasive teeth whitening treatments at Mango Hill Dental with all enquiries welcome. Call 07 3482 2209 to book a consultation.