Do you love the results of your recent professional teeth whitening treatment? Are you contemplating how to keep your smile brighter longer? A whiter smile can restore your confidence in personal and professional settings, so it only makes sense to want to extend the results of your teeth whitening.
Here at Houston Precise Dental Care, Joe Eckford Jr., DDS, and our knowledgeable dental team want to help you keep your healthy, gleaming smile. Typically, the results of a professional teeth whitening treatment should last up to three years with proper care. Follow our simple tips for extending the results of your teeth whitening treatment so you can smile with confidence.
Eliminate tobacco products
If you’ve just invested in brightening your smile with professional whitening and always wanted to quit smoking, this is the perfect time to do it. We don’t have to tell you that smoking is bad for your lungs, but it’s also a major culprit when it comes to unsightly yellow and brown teeth stains.
When you stop using all types of tobacco products, you not only extend the results of your teeth whitening treatment, but you also improve your oral and overall health and wellness.
Limit coffee, sodas, and dark-colored beverages
Over the years, that morning cup of coffee or two contributes to yellowing teeth. And it’s not just coffee that can stain your teeth. If you’re a soda drinker, you should know that dark-colored, effervescent beverage is a culprit.
Soda has no nutritional value, either, and it coats your teeth with sugar, making it easier for bacteria to congregate and turn into plaque and tartar. That’s not good for your oral health or the appearance of polished, gleaming teeth.
Hot or iced tea and red wine also stain your newly whitened teeth faster than if you stick to drinking water most of the time. If you do drink sodas or iced teas, use a straw so the beverage bypasses your tooth enamel.
And, if you just can’t give up that morning cup of joe, add creamer to minimize the staining effects of black coffee. Once you’ve finished your cuppa java, swish fresh water around your mouth afterward to help clean your teeth when you’re not able to brush right away.
Brush, floss, repeat
This really goes without saying, but everyone needs a reminder sometimes. Brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day, every day, helps maintain your best oral hygiene and keeps your teeth white and polished. Removing foods and bacteria that can accumulate on your teeth and cause plaque and tartar buildup keeps your teeth looking their best — especially if you do drink coffee, tea, soda, or red wine.
You may also want to use a whitening toothpaste once or twice a week to help remove surface stains from your teeth and prevent yellowing after your initial professional whitening treatment. Just ask Dr. Eckford or a member of our dental team which brands of toothpaste they recommend and how often you should use them.
Keep up with regular checkups and professional cleanings
You should have at least two professional cleanings a year. Professional dental cleanings keep your teeth and gums healthy, alert Dr. Eckford to any early signs of decay or gum disease, and remove plaque and stains from the surface of your teeth.
Like your at-home oral hygiene routine, professional dental checkups and cleanings help you maintain your best oral health and brilliant smile long-term.
Get whitening touch-up treatments
Depending on the shade of white you desire, your diet, lifestyle, and oral hygiene routine, you may want to consider a professional whitening touch-up treatment a couple of times a year, or maybe even after a whole year. We can give you a take-home whitening kit, or you can opt for one of our in-office whitening treatments.
Touch-up whitening extends the life of your initial teeth whitening treatment by helping you maintain your brightest smile long after your first whitening experience.
To learn more about your professional teeth whitening options, or to schedule an appointment, give our friendly Houston Precise Dental Care team a call at (713) 433-6431. You can also request an appointment online.