Teeth Whitening Essentials: Tips, Tricks, and Everything You Need to Know - Northwoods Dentistry (2024)

FAQs

What not to do before whitening teeth? ›

Don't Consume Foods that Can Stain Your Teeth

Avoid dark foods/liquids, drink through a straw when you can, don't smoke, brush/floss frequently and you should be looking great. Keep in mind, the less you indulge in “staining” foods and drinks, the longer your results should last.

DON'T Drink Dark-Colored Beverages

There are certain beverages that should be avoided within the first week of your teeth whitening treatment - and should be kept to a minimum going forward. These drinks include coffee, red wine, sodas, tea, and the like. All of which are known to cause staining.

The most effective treatment you can receive through your dentist is Zoom! laser teeth whitening treatment. While this procedure is not the cheapest fix for yellowing, it is the most effective, quickest, and long-lasting procedure. If you are looking for the best brightening solution, Zoom! is it!

Not everyone is the right candidate for teeth whitening. For example, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should wait to get whitening. People who have dental bridges or crowns may want to talk to their dentist before considering whitening. Children should be at least 16 to get this type of treatment.

Brushing before applying Whitestrips can help remove surface stains and improve product adherence. Yet, it's equally essential to follow up with a gentle post-treatment brushing to eliminate residual gel and maintain oral hygiene. The ideal sequence can vary depending on personal preferences and product instructions.

Brushing before using the strips may help remove any plaque buildup on your teeth, while waiting for at least 30 minutes after using them before brushing again allows time for remineralization of tooth enamel.

Teeth can become temporarily dehydrated after using whitening strips. Your teeth may appear more yellow as a result of this dehydration because the enamel may become dry and lack moisture. Dehydrated enamel sometimes has a transparent appearance that makes the naturally yellowish dentin underneath visible.

The pores slowly close over the next two to three days, but during that time, your teeth are more susceptible to staining from foods and drinks. For at least the first 48 hours, it's best to avoid darkly colored foods and drinks, including berries, coffee, tea, red wine, and tomato sauce.

After the treatment, it is natural for teeth' color to regress somewhat over time. This is normal and should be gradual, but it can be accelerated by exposing the teeth to various staining agents, such as coffee, tea, tobacco, red wine, colas, citrus drinks, fruits, etc.

Zoom in office whitening

Zoom-in-office whitening is the best teeth whitening system out there. It is fast (takes about an hour) and you get great results. This is the one you have probably seen before where the patients are under that blue light and it turns your teeth up to four shades of whiter.

How to whiten teeth in 2 minutes? ›

Baking-powder eliminates stains on the surface of your teeth and lemon juice as we already said has multiple components that lighten teeth. Just mix a teaspoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and brush your teeth with the paste this mixture will work wonders in just two minutes.

Using a straw to consume staining drinks reduces their contact with your teeth, leaving your teeth healthy and bright. Veneers are another common celebrity teeth whitening procedure. Veneers are thin tooth-colored shells or coatings placed on the front of a tooth to hide stains and make them sparkling white.

Whitening Aging Yellow Teeth: What to Consider

Dentistry for seniors suggests tooth whitening can be done at any age of adulthood. Tooth whitening products remove built-up stains and brighten the enamel. They are affordable and easy-to-use solutions to the problem of aging yellow teeth.

If you are allergic to peroxide, you will not be able to have your teeth whitened, since peroxide is the active ingredient in whitening systems. If you have a lot of fillings, dental bonding or crowns, you may not be a candidate for dental whitening.

First hour: Drink only water and don't eat or drink anything else for at least one hour after your teeth whitening appointment. First 24 hours: Do not consume foods that are likely to cause stains. These include red wine, coffee, tea, colas, tomato sauce, and blueberries.

Additionally, the strips should fully adhere to your clean teeth, which should improve your teeth whitening efforts. If you want to brush your teeth first, wait at least 30 minutes before applying the strips. Using whitening strips right after brushing might cause gum irritation.

While you shouldn't eat straight before your appointment, it's okay to eat one or so hours before your teeth whitening treatment has been booked. And because a session usually lasts around one hour, eating before your treatment may help curve any hunger during or immediately after your session.