According to the American Dental Association, most people report the one thing they dislike the most about their smile is the color of their teeth. Teeth whitening is one of the most popular and simplest cosmetic dental treatments that can improve your smile and boost your confidence. But teeth whitening, even when it’s done by a professional, isn’t permanent.
Our dental specialists, Miguel A. Casañas Jr., DDS, and Publio Silfa, DDS, here at Meadowbrook Dental Care in Mineola, New York, love nothing more than watching you walk out the door grinning from ear to ear after undergoing teeth whitening treatment. To help you maintain your new look and restored confidence, we recommend good oral hygiene, diet modification, and participation in our Whitening for Life program.
Brush, floss, and schedule regular dental cleanings
You may not be too surprised that we recommend you continue your regular oral hygiene habits to help extend the results of your teeth whitening. Daily brushing and flossing may remove food stains before they set in. Brushing and flossing also help get rid of plaque, which is a sticky film constantly forming on your teeth. When not removed, plaque hardens into tartar, which can turn your white, bright teeth into a dull yellow.
We also recommend you keep your regular dental cleanings. Our dental hygienists can remove any tartar buildup and polish your teeth to remove surface stains that may be affecting the brightness of your smile.
Beware of teeth-staining food and drinks
Certain foods and drinks contain pigments that can stain your teeth and dull your smile. Some of the biggest offenders include:
Coffee and tea
Red wine
Berries
Tomato sauce
Cola
Goodies that stain your tongue (lollipops, hard candy)
It may be easy to avoid some of these teeth-staining food and drinks, but not all. If you can’t live without coffee or tea, drink your beverage through a straw so the pigments hit your back teeth instead of the front. You can also swish your mouth with water after eating or drinking these teeth-staining items to remove some of the pigments from the surface of your teeth.
In addition to food, you also want to stay away from tobacco. Tar is naturally dark and can quickly turn your white, bright smile brown. When nicotine combines with oxygen, it turns teeth yellow.
Join the Whitening for Life program
Because we want you to always smile with confidence, here at Meadowbrook Dental Care we offer the Whitening for Life program. For a one-time fee, we provide you with custom teeth whitening trays and three tubes of Venus White® Pro Gel so you keep your new smile with at-home teeth whitening treatments.
Then, every time you return to the office for your regular dental exams and cleanings, we provide you with two more tubes of the teeth whitening gel.
You may want to join the Whitening for Life program after treatment with our in-office teeth whitening system, Philips Zoom!, which can brighten your teeth up to eight shades lighter after one 45-minute session.
If you’re hiding your smile because you’re embarrassed by the color of your teeth, contact Meadowbrook Dental Care by phone or online today to learn all about our teeth whitening treatments.