What Can I Eat After Teeth Whitening?

One of the reason the teeth get darker is because the micro pores within the enamel absorb saliva which will darken the teeth over quite a long time period, in fact so slowly we should not really notice the change happening.

During and after teeth whitening the micro pores stay exposed for normally 48 hours and therefore the chance to staining is higher and care and common sense needs to occur.

Foods and drinks to be avoided (this is not an exhaustive list but one that gets you focussed)

• Tea
• Coffee
• Blackcurrant
• Red wine
• Gravy
• Pasta sauce
• Curry or spicy sauces
• Red meat
• Green vegetables

The foods and drinks that can be consumed (Again not a complete list!)

• Water
• Milk
• Bread
• White fish
• Potatos
• Rice
• Pasta (no sauces)
• Chicken and Turkey

Also if you smoke then nicotine needs to avoided otherwise this will also re-stain the teeth!

Some of the more powerful teeth whitening systems like zoom whitening, laser whitening and power whitening then typically forty eight hours after the treatment you need to be careful and then after that you can proceed with normal everyday diets.

For the bleaching trays then the timings can be longer. This is because the whitening program will take around fourteen days and over this period of time the teeth slowly and gently whiten but because you typically need to wear the trays overnight every night then follow the white diet closely otherwise the teeth will re-stain. The teeth will remain porous for the whole time and therefore trying to stay away from the likes of tea and coffee for the whole duration is quite challenging but needs to done to get the best results from the bleaching trays.

Milder whitening kits like the trays or strips you will need to be careful for twelve to twenty four hours only as these are much milder way of whitening the teeth and the micro pores are not open for as long.

For many serial drinker of tea, coffee and red wine this might seem like a bit overkill but trust us the white diet after whitening is really important otherwise results will fade and your investment will have been reduced.

Having a nice smile is well worth the time and money so give it a go and once the teeth brighten you will look younger and more healthy as the teeth are a tell tale sign of aging.

All teeth whitening is no substitute for good dental health and therefore please make sure you speak to your dentist about whitening and ensure you keep your regular appointments with the dentist and hygienist to keep you smile not just white but healthy!