Professional teeth whitening can brighten your smile and boost your confidence. However, the actual whitening procedure is only the first step. To maintain those beautiful results, you’ll need to pay close attention to your diet. While some foods can help strengthen your teeth, other foods can cause stains and irritation. To help you make the right choices, we’ve put together this list of foods to avoid after teeth whitening.
Apply the “White Shirt Test” Immediately After Whitening
The first 24 hours after your whitening procedure are crucial, as this is when teeth are most susceptible to re-staining or irritation. For an easy way to tell whether you should avoid a certain food, apply the white shirt test: skip any food that would leave a stain on a white piece of clothing!
Avoid Dark Liquids
After teeth whitening, you’ll want to avoid dark liquids like coffee, tea, and red wine. These beverages are notorious for causing discoloration and stains. While completely avoiding them can help your whitening results last as long as possible, you should find alternative options for at least the first few days after your procedure.
Skip Foods with Natural or Added Colorants
To protect your pearly whites, limit your intake of foods with natural or added colorants right after teeth whitening. This category includes soy sauce, ketchup, beef, and chocolate. Once your teeth have recovered, you can re-introduce these foods in moderation.
Say No to Sugary Foods
When you eat sugary foods like candy and cookies, your oral bacteria feed on them to produce decay-causing acid. While everyone should eat sweet treats in moderation, it’s especially important to do so right after teeth whitening.
What to Eat
Now that you know which foods to avoid after teeth whitening, let’s talk about what you should eat. Dr. Hooks recommends options like white fish, white rice and pasta, egg whites, peeled potatoes, and cauliflower right after teeth whitening. You’ll get the nutrients you need without the risk of staining your teeth.
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