If you feel unhappy about the current color of your teeth, you should consult your cosmetic dentist to find targeted ways to brighten your smile. They can provide teeth whitening treatment in which they carefully apply bleaching gel that lifts stubborn tooth stains to make your smile pearly white.
Once you complete this smile enhancement treatment, you will want to ensure these effects last for as long as possible. Follow your dentist’s aftercare guidelines to avoid forming new stains on your smile. And read on to find advice from your dentist that will allow you to maximize cosmetic dental benefits from your professional teeth whitening treatment.
Avoid Consuming Staining Agents
A common reason you develop discolored teeth is due to the foods and beverages you consume. Dark-colored items get this color from naturally occurring substances called tannins. As you eat and drink these items, tannins absorb into your enamel and leave dark stains behind on your smile.
Professional teeth whitening uses bleaching agents to lift and remove these dark stains from the surface of your teeth. But if you continue to consume dark foods and drinks, you could form new dental discoloration that will disrupt your newly brightened smile.
Be careful when consuming these types of foods after whitening treatment if you want to preserve your white smile. Examples of foods with staining agents include coffee, tea, and red wine.
Continue Good Oral Hygiene
You can ensure your teeth stay strong enough to resist surface stains as well as other dental problems by keeping them clean. This means practicing consistent oral hygiene with proper techniques.
Your mouth’s natural bacteria will travel across your teeth to create a film of plaque. Then excess bacteria can eat away at your dental structure, weakening your teeth and making them more susceptible to cosmetic dental concerns. Therefore, it is important that you remove plaque and other build-ups in a timely fashion before they cause dental damage.
You must brush your teeth at least twice a day, morning and night, and floss daily to complete a good oral hygiene regimen. Brushing your teeth alone cannot reach to get rid of plaque between your teeth. So do not skip flossing.
Attend Regular Dental Check-Ups
Proper oral hygiene is not complete with just at-home care. You will need to attend routine dental appointments where your dentist can thoroughly clean your teeth on a professional level. Your toothbrush may leave some plaque on your smile that can harden to tartar.
A dentist will scrape away plaque, tartar, and more. Then your smile can stay clean and healthy and therefore look its best. The dentist also examines your teeth and gums for signs of dental concerns that could also impact smile aesthetics. They can then treat them swiftly before they hurt your smile.
These appointments also make prime opportunities to talk to your dentist about touch-ups for your whitening treatment. With proper care, teeth whitening will last for up to three years.