What To Do After Tooth Whitening
You've had your teeth whitened and naturally you are wondering what you should do and what you should not do so that the whitening effect will be as durable as possible.
Keeping Your Teeth White
Dos and Don'ts
Our teeth have a relatively porous structure so staining substances can re-enter the tooth structure after a teeth whitening. The following measures do enhance the durability of the teeth whitening effect
Maintenance Kit
Because it is almost inevitable that the teeth will become tarnished after some time, you might want to have a maintenance kit made up at the time of your teeth whitening. This typically is the same kit used for home whitening . You can use this kit periodically for 3-7 days at a time to help refresh the whiteness of the teeth when they seem tarnished.
Dealing with Side Effects
Teeth Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity can vary from the teeth simply being a bit more sensitive to cold water to painful twinges that come more or less spontaneously.
Sensitivity after teeth whitening is a very common side effect. In fact it is so common that some whitening product manufacturers require service providers to pre-medicate patients with Aspirin type medication before a teeth whitening session.
In our office, our treatment protocol is intended to keep sensitivity to an absolute minimum or if possible avoid it altogether. If you are experiencing sensitivity, it is almost always temporary and will pass on it's own even without you doing anything about it.
You can use the following measures to reduce the sensitivity :
Gum/Soft Tissue Irritation
If you have experienced some soft tissue or gum irritation during the teeth whitening process, the area might still feel a bit raw or sore after the treatment session. It will recover on it's own without any intervention but if you find it uncomfortable you can try to apply Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Vitamin E on the site. Do not use Ulcer Paste which contains steroids and can slow down recovery or Aspirin containing gels (like teething or ulcer gels) which are very acidic and can further irritate the area.
Keeping Your Teeth White
Dos and Don'ts
Our teeth have a relatively porous structure so staining substances can re-enter the tooth structure after a teeth whitening. The following measures do enhance the durability of the teeth whitening effect
- Maintaining good oral hygiene
- Avoiding strongly coloured foods and beverages
- Avoiding smoking or tobacco use
- Reduce sugar intake frequency - sugar encourages bacteria growth
Maintenance Kit
Because it is almost inevitable that the teeth will become tarnished after some time, you might want to have a maintenance kit made up at the time of your teeth whitening. This typically is the same kit used for home whitening . You can use this kit periodically for 3-7 days at a time to help refresh the whiteness of the teeth when they seem tarnished.
Dealing with Side Effects
Teeth Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity can vary from the teeth simply being a bit more sensitive to cold water to painful twinges that come more or less spontaneously.
Sensitivity after teeth whitening is a very common side effect. In fact it is so common that some whitening product manufacturers require service providers to pre-medicate patients with Aspirin type medication before a teeth whitening session.
In our office, our treatment protocol is intended to keep sensitivity to an absolute minimum or if possible avoid it altogether. If you are experiencing sensitivity, it is almost always temporary and will pass on it's own even without you doing anything about it.
You can use the following measures to reduce the sensitivity :
- Apply the After Whitening Mousse to the affected teeth and leave it in for as long as you can
- Avoid very cold/hot water/food
- Apply GC Tooth Mousse on the affected teeth (if you have this product with you). Alternatively a tooth paste for sensitive teeth like Sensodyne can also be applied. You should leave the mousse/toothpaste on the teeth for at least 5 minutes and for as long as you can.
Gum/Soft Tissue Irritation
If you have experienced some soft tissue or gum irritation during the teeth whitening process, the area might still feel a bit raw or sore after the treatment session. It will recover on it's own without any intervention but if you find it uncomfortable you can try to apply Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Vitamin E on the site. Do not use Ulcer Paste which contains steroids and can slow down recovery or Aspirin containing gels (like teething or ulcer gels) which are very acidic and can further irritate the area.