5 Things to Avoid After Whitening Your Teeth

Apart from the primary functions they perform to get you through your daily activities, your teeth are also there to add aesthetic value to your face. When your teeth are of the perfect size, length, shape, structure, and, most notably, color, they add great aesthetic value to your face and produce the most radiant smile. However, due to improper care, diseases, traumatic damage, etc., your teeth can become stained, discolored, and irritating to look at. To restore the natural color of your teeth and the beauty of your smile, you have to undergo professional teeth whitening at the Dentist of Chester Springs.

Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental procedure that involves the lightening or whitening of the existing teeth’ color with bleaching chemicals. The permanent teeth are stronger and possess thicker enamels than the milk teeth, which gives them a pale yellow or white color lesser than that of the milk teeth. When not given adequate care, they build up stains from the foods and drinks you take and become discolored. This discoloration reduces the aesthetic value of the teeth and leads to real dental and medical health problems.

Why Do You Need Tooth Whitening?

It would help tooth whitening to restore your teeth to their natural color and produce beautiful smiles. Tooth whitening also helps prevent dental and medical health problems such as tooth decay, gingivitis, periodontal diseases, etc., which may arise from discolored teeth. Your teeth may become discolored as a result of the following reasons:

• Improper Care: This is the primary cause of tooth discoloration. The teeth possess pores (tiny holes) that absorb the color of every food and drink taken into the mouth. Improper or inadequate brushing of the teeth causes a buildup of these stains making the teeth lose their natural color over time.
• Use of Tobacco: Chewing, smoking, and inhaling tobacco causes you to develop yellowish or brownish stains on your teeth.
• Diseases and medication: Some conditions and medications you take might change the natural color of your teeth.
• Environmental factors: Fluorosis is caused by the excessive presence of fluoride in the water you drink. Taking water with excessive fluoride causes stains on your teeth, thereby discoloring them.

Tooth Whitening Procedure

You can get tooth whitening through various methods, including teeth whitening strips, toothpaste, natural whitening, over-the-counter DIY whitening kits, etc. However, the safest and most effective way to whiten your teeth is to book an appointment with a dentist in Chester Springs, PA, or any other dental office that offers teeth whitening near you. It is important to note that you can whiten only your natural teeth. Your dental restorations and tooth replacements cannot undergo a whitening procedure.

While tooth whitening is a generally painless procedure, you might be given anesthesia according to your dentist’s discretion. The process begins as your dentist inserts a lip retractor in your mouth to keep them open. After this, your tongue and other parts of the mouth are covered in a hardened protective gel to prevent contact with the bleaching chemicals. In addition, your dentist might apply a compound to your teeth to help with tooth sensitivity.

When these protective measures are in place, the actual whitening process begins. The bleaching chemical, which contains 15 to 35 percent of hydrogen peroxide, is applied to the surface of your teeth. Hydrogen peroxide penetrates the outer layer of your teeth and breaks stain compounds through oxidation. After applying the bleaching chemical, a laser will be used to activate the chemicals in the whitening gel to whiten the teeth in a laser whitening procedure. In a zoom whitening procedure, a zoom light is used to speed up the whitening process after applying the zoom whitening gel on the teeth’ surface.

The whitening gel might be rinsed off and reapplied as many times as your dentist decides.

Precautions After A Tooth Whitening Procedure

The effects of tooth whitening can last for months or years, depending on your diet and dental habits. The following are things to avoid after whitening your teeth:

• Avoid smoking, chewing, or inhaling tobacco products.
• Avoid foods that stain the teeth.
• Avoid colored dental hygiene products.
• Avoid dark or intensely colored liquids.
• Avoid using teeth whitening products after a tooth whitening procedure.