There are many benefits to getting your teeth professionally whitened—it’s safer, tends to last longer, and provides a more even white color for your entire smile. However, all forms of teeth whitening can fade with time, especially if you’re not caring for your newly-whitened teeth like you should.

Here’s how you can keep your teeth bright after a professional whitening for results that last!

Avoid Tobacco Products

This goes without saying, but tobacco products—whether smoking or chewing tobacco—stain your teeth [1]. Some people experience a mild yellow color, while others can see a deep brown staining, especially with years of tobacco use.

In fact, many people get a professional whitening to help lighten and remove stains from former tobacco use. If you smoke or chew tobacco, a professional teeth whitening is another reason to kick this habit to keep your bright teeth!

Exercise Caution with Dark-Colored Foods

Dark-colored foods and drinks have the potential to stain your smile over time, and the more frequently you consume these items, the more likely your teeth are to stain. These products include red wine, coffee, and even tea [2]. Other food products that can stain your teeth when eaten include spices such as turmeric, berries such as blueberries, and even soy sauce.

How can you prevent the stains these items can cause without avoiding them completely? A good trick is to sip water while consuming them, and remember to brush your teeth about 30 minutes to an hour after eating!

Visit Your Dentist

Teeth whitening does need to be touched up over time, even if you do your best to minimize staining. Visiting your dentist for professional teeth cleanings every six months or as recommend by your dentist can help remove surface stains and keep your smile as bright as possible [3].

Some people may choose to re-whiten their teeth every few years or whenever necessary to keep their smile bright—but if you keep up with professional cleanings as well as at-home brushing and flossing, you can make your white teeth last even longer.

Keep Your Smile Bright!

When you take care of your teeth, it’s simpler than you think to prolong your professional teeth whitening. By avoiding tobacco products, taking care when eating certain dark-colored foods, and keeping up with your oral hygiene, you can make your bright teeth last as long as possible!

Sources:
1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10958-tooth-discoloration

2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321480.php

3. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/teeth-whitening/faqs

The post How to Keep Your Teeth Bright After Professional Teeth Whitening appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Tooth Decay

Without proper oral care, bad bacteria in the mouth can damage teeth. If bacteria are allowed to become unbalanced and overgrow in the mouth, your tooth’s enamel is at serious risk. Enamel is the shiny, protective layer over our teeth. Once this substance is gone, there’s no way to replace it. Without tooth enamel or damaged enamel, our teeth are subject to cavities. Tooth decay can progress to huge cavities that aren’t able to be repaired with fillings alone. You could even lose your teeth if cavities are left to take over your smile!

Gum Disease

It’s not always easy to know when gum disease has become a problem. Often, plaque and bacteria build up around your gumline, which irritates both your gums and your tooth’s root. This leads gums to become infected and pull back away from your teeth. In addition to causing sensitivity, gum disease can also cause tooth roots to become damaged, which in turn creates loose teeth. Signs of gum disease include bleeding gums, loose teeth, and the appearance of elongated teeth.

Oral Cancer

There are several risk factors for oral cancer, including genetics, alcohol, smoking, and exposure to UV light. When you miss visits at your dentist office, you miss an important screening—an oral cancer checkup. 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer every year. Getting a checkup with your dentist means getting a screening for oral cancer that can detect the disease early. If you have risk factors for oral cancer and are neglecting your dental health, consider scheduling a checkup.

Teeth Staining

Getting professional cleanings at your dentist office helps to consistently remove surface stains. Since our tooth enamel is porous, this means our teeth are subject to staining over time. This is especially true for people who are fond of coffee, red wine, and tea. Removing those surface stains helps to improve your smile’s appearance. If you want a more dramatic whitening, you can talk with your dentist about teeth whitening!

Increase Future Costs

When you neglect to take care of your teeth or make a visit to your dentist, it might feel like you’re saving money at the time. However, when your oral health takes a turn for the worse, your out-of-pocket expenses are much higher than they would have been if you’d been regularly engaging in oral care. Increasing the future costs of your dental visits is a consequence of avoiding taking care of your teeth!

Your smile is so important. Your teeth help you chew and speak, your gums support your teeth, and your appearance is often dependent on your smile. Don’t neglect your oral care—even visiting your dentist once a year makes a big difference!

The post The Long Term Impacts of Avoiding Oral Care appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.