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Most people want nothing more than a brighter and whiter smile. For this reason, professional teeth whitening in Bridgeport is among the most popular cosmetic dental treatments available today. Since this treatment is relatively straightforward, it’s easy to forget that you’re in a post-treatment period. If you want to optimize your investment and get the most out of your Hollywood smile, avoiding things that may stain or discolor your teeth is best.

What You Shouldn’t Do Immediately After a Professional Teeth Whitening Treatment

Eat Dark-Colored Foods

Any kind of food that can stain a white shirt will stain your teeth. However, their effects will be worse if your teeth are in their post-whitening state.

Consequently, you’ll want to avoid a wide range of food immediately after whitening your teeth. These foods include colorful spices, dark-colored sauces, colored candy, chocolate, and highly pigmented fruits, vegetables, and berries. Consider replacing dark-colored foods with light-colored ones, such as pasta, cauliflower, grilled chicken breast, white fish, tofu, and cheese.  

Eat Acidic Food

It’s worth noting that bleaching agents slightly weaken the enamel. Consuming foods with high acidic content, such as processed meats, pickled food, and citrus fruits, can further weaken it and increase the risk of re-staining. You’ll want to stay away from acidic foods within the first 48 hours following your teeth whitening procedure to protect your white smile.

Drink Colored Beverages

A morning cup of coffee or an evening glass of red wine during the first two to three days can leave stains on your newly-whitened teeth. Drinks with intense, pigmented colors, such as smoothies, tea, beer, fruit juice, or tomato juice, can also take the white out of your smile.  

If you insist on enjoying these colored beverages, do yourself a favor by using a straw. Doing so helps prevent direct contact between these liquids and your teeth’s front surface. However, if you want to stay on the safe side, choose better alternatives, such as water, milk, white wine, or clear alcohol.

Consume Too Hot or Too Cold Foods and Drinks

Since the bleaching solution can remove minerals within the tooth enamel, it exposes the micro-tubules within teeth and causes your pearly whites to become temporarily porous. As a result, you may temporarily experience a certain level of sensitivity each time you eat or drink anything other than lukewarm.  

Using Tobacco Products

Smoking or chewing tobacco won’t fail to stain and discolor teeth after a teeth whitening treatment. Unless you’re willing to do touch-ups to your treatment more often, it’s best to cut out tobacco use. Besides enjoying sparkling white teeth for longer, you’ll eliminate other health risks that come with smoking.  

Using Colored Toothpaste or Mouthwash

You’ll want to take a break from colored dental hygiene products in the first few days after your professional teeth whitening procedure. Colored toothpaste or mouthwash might stain your teeth at this stage. For best results, stick to white or non-colored dental products. While at it, choose fluoridated toothpaste to help prevent sensitivity and maintain your teeth’s white color.

Considering Teeth Whitening in Bridgeport?

At Brooklawn Dental Associates, we’ll do everything possible to leave our patients with healthy and beautiful smiles on their faces every time they leave our office. If you’re interested in a professional teeth whitening consultation, make an appointment with us today!