After a professional whitening treatment from our cosmetic dentist in Highland Park, our doctors will likely send you home with an at-home whitening treatment to help maintain your glowing smile. However, you may want to take extra steps to avoid dulling your teeth. Use these guidelines from our dental professionals to maintain your pearly whites.
Keep Up With Good Oral Hygiene
Practicing good oral hygiene is the first and most important step in maintaining a whiter smile. Brushing at least twice a day is essential for removing plaque and avoiding stains and don’t forget to floss to remove any hard to reach build-up. Ask your cosmetic dentist in Highland Park to recommend a safe whitening toothpaste or toothbrush for the best results.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking not only causes bad breath and increases your risk of cancer, but it is one of the leading causes of stained teeth. Tobacco penetrates deeply into your enamel and creates brown stains that are rarely removed from brushing alone. The longer and more often you smoke, the more likely stains will develop.
Avoid Foods & Drinks That Stain
Although delicious, certain dark-colored foods and drinks tend to stain teeth over time. Be cautious with coffee, red wine, tomato sauce, blueberries, other fruit juices—anything that would stain a white T-shirt will also stain your teeth! Brush your teeth soon after consuming these foods and use a straw to limit teeth interaction when drinking these beverages.
Professional teeth whitening treatments are extremely effective, but some smiles require more frequent touch-ups than others. Contact your cosmetic dentist in Highland Park for your next whitening appointment.
