Treatments for teeth whitening are a common choice today and can help you attain a brighter grin while boosting your self-confidence. You can get the desired results faster with take-home whitening kits or expert bleaching at the dentist’s office. However, after completing these procedures, you must take steps to keep your pearly teeth, including in the days that immediately follow.
What Foods Should be Avoided?
After the whitening procedure, your teeth become slightly more permeable, which also momentarily affects the dentin layer beneath them. As a result, new discolorations and stains may develop when colors and pigments from some foods and drinks touch those delicate teeth. Avoid the following meals and drinks for at least the first 48 hours:
- Coffee and tea: Tannins are a chemical in tea and coffee. These polyphenols can significantly discolor teeth when they accumulate. Following expert whitening, your teeth become more porous, which allows these tannins to work more quickly to stain your teeth.
- White and red wines: Wines may harm the enamel and teeth pigment. Red wine, particularly its firm acidity and black color, can cause staining or erosion. Despite being lighter, white wine can damage your freshly whitened mouth by further eroding the enamel.
- Dark-colored vegetables and fruits: Dark fruits and vegetables are richly filled with colors that can stain your teeth. Avoid foods like carrots, purple cabbage, beets, cherries, grapes, pomegranates, blues, strawberries, blackberries, and spinach after having your teeth whitened for this reason.
- Sugary foods: When your teeth are tender after bleaching, refined carbohydrates found in sweets like cakes, pastries, confectionery, chocolate, or ice cream can exacerbate dental decay, cavities, enamel erosion, and discoloration.
- Sodas: You must abstain from carbonated, bubbly beverages for at least 48 hours after whitening because of the high quantities of sugar, color additives, and acidity that can take away dental enamel and result in dark surface discoloration.
- Tomato sauce and tomatoes: You should initially avoid tomatoes, whether consumed alone or used in different sauces and meals. Tomatoes and tomato-infused sauces have a high acid content and a natural dark coloring that can severely harm and stain your recently whitened teeth.
- Citrus: Due to their high acid content, citrus foods like grapefruit, lemons, limes, and oranges can further erode dental enamel. As a result, the sensitivity to heated or chilly meals may be increased, and teeth may become more susceptible to staining.
- Vegetable and fruit juice: Fruit and some vegetable drinks have a high acid content that can harm dental enamel and result in staining or discoloration. The liquids of any dark-colored fruits or vegetables, such as grapes, cherries, tomatoes, or carrots, should be avoided.
- Dark sauces and condiments: Avoid using seasonings and sauces with a dark hue, like ketchup, mustard, and soy sauce. If you’re unsure whether a sauce or seasoning falls into this group, consider whether it would discolor a white t-shirt.
Teeth Whitening at Aesthetic Dentistry of Palm City
Numerous teeth whitening choices are available today for creating and keeping your grin. Our team of experts at Aesthetic Dentistry of Palm City can aid you in making the best decision for your requirements and care for your mouth for years to come. Make an appointment with Drs. Tom Galinis and Shannon Galinis immediately by calling (772) 283-8350!
