Teeth whitening is a fantastic investment in the appearance of your smile. White teeth are associated with youth and health, and can make a big difference in your self-esteem. If you’re going to put time and money into getting whiter teeth, make sure you make the most of it with these tips!

Don’t Go Back to Bad Habits After

If you’ve noticed your teeth starting to get yellow, chances are you know the culprits: the food you eat. (You should know by now that tobacco also stains your teeth, but if you’re a tobacco-user, we’ve got other things to talk about before we talk about whitening your teeth!) The most obvious tooth-staining foods are coffee, tea and red wine, but berries, soda and chocolate can also cause stains. Pretty much, if it would stain your favorite white shirt, it can stain your teeth. So don’t go right back to eating these foods after your teeth whitening treatment! Teeth can actually be slightly more vulnerable to staining right after whitening than they were before. That’s why many recommend eating only “white” foods afterward (think white bread, pasta, cauliflower, potatoes, etc.).

Know What to Expect

The biggest concern that most people have when getting their teeth whitened is sensitivity. Indeed, tooth sensitivity is the main side effect of whitening, but this sensation is temporary and usually goes away in a few hours or days. A bigger source of disappointment may be how white your teeth end up. Outside of bad habits, the biggest factor in tooth color is actually genetics. If your mom, dad, grandmother, and uncle all have bright white teeth, chances are you can too. But if the rest of your family has yellowish teeth despite never touching tobacco or coffee, the affects you can expect will certainly be whiter, but maybe not as white as a more genetically fortunate friend.

You should also know that there are certain types of tooth discoloration that whitening can’t really fix, such as fluorosis spots or internal staining that can happen as a result of taking certain antibiotics. That’s one of the reasons it’s a good idea to have a professional teeth whitening at the dentist. The dentist will be able to tell you what to expect and whether you’re a good candidate for the treatment.

Follow Up With At-Home Treatments

After teeth whitening treatment, you may be sent home with custom whitening trays and several tubes of whitening gel. This is to provide you with an opportunity to keep your pearly whites just as white over the next few weeks and months. If your teeth whitening treatment didn’t include custom whitening trays from the dentist, you can still maintain your white smile using over-the-counter treatments. However, keep in mind that these are less powerful, require more diligence and patience, and are not as good at getting around the sides of your teeth.

As dental professionals, we may get a little bit more excited about dental hygiene products that our patients, but the truth is that everyone should pay close attention when choosing which dental products to buy. Which toothbrush or toothpaste is best for you depends on your unique dental condition, but did you know that the same is true of floss? There are 5 main types of floss and each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Waxed Floss

This is probably the product that comes to mind first if you think of dental floss. Dentists and hygienists tend to like waxed floss for its durability. It consists of nylon string coated in a wax that helps prevent the strands from shredding or breaking during use. The downside of this type of floss is the coating makes it hard to fit into tight spaces between particular snug teeth.

Un-Waxed Floss

Un-waxed is made of dozens of fine strands of nylon twisted into a single string. It’s lack of a wax coating makes it a little easier to get between teeth, but it’s more prone to fraying. Both waxed and un-waxed floss are good for people with relatively healthy teeth and gums, but people with limited dexterity may find it difficult to use.

Dental Tape

Like regular floss, dental tape comes in waxed and un-waxed varieties. This floss is wider and flatter than the string kind, which many people find makes it easier to use if their teeth are not tightly spaced. The brand Glide by Oral-B is a dental tape that many patients are familiar with.

Super floss

Super floss is like regular floss on both ends but has a thicker, fluffy section in the middle. This extra thick floss is meant for those with large gaps between their teeth or dental appliances such as bridges or braces. The ends of super floss are usually stiff to help with threading it between teeth or under bridgework.

Floss Holder

Floss holders are Y-shaped or E-shaped tools that have a small segment of floss string between two prongs at one end. This type of floss is much easier to use for those with limited dexterity. However, we don’t like that the small, taut section of floss can’t wrap around a tooth while flossing. And unlike the other types of floss, you can’t use a fresh section of floss between each set of teeth, which could transfer bacteria from one part of your mouth to another where it wasn’t present before.

If this seems like an overwhelming amount of choice, always feel free to ask us about what floss we recommend for you at your next visit to our dental practice. We’re always happy to give you advice on how to best care for your teeth at home on a daily basis.