How Can I Make My Teeth Whitening Treatment Last Longer?

People are often self-conscious about tooth color and will avoid showing their teeth if they’re too yellow or otherwise discolored. Teeth aren’t naturally white; the color is mainly determined by the combination of transparent enamel and the yellowish dentin it covers. Off-white or pale yellow is closer to normal, but for many, that’s simply not enough.

Other factors can also affect the color of your teeth, and if you decide to make them brighter, teeth whitening is a common way to lighten the shade. Our facilities offer teeth whitening in our offices, but it can also be done at home. However, regardless of how it’s accomplished, what should you do to maintain your results once it’s done? Let’s examine the process and how to keep those pearlies nice and white.

Dr. Elena Davidson and her experienced staff at Davidson Dental Group are here to help patients in San Leandro, Castro Valley, Oakland, and surrounding areas of California with teeth whitening and a range of other dental issues.

Reasons for whitening teeth

Outside of your natural tooth color, teeth become darker for many reasons, broken into issues directly affecting the visible part of your teeth (extrinsic) and those that stem from issues inside of them (intrinsic). Common causes include:

Stains: Various foods and drinks, like coffee, tea, berries, soy sauce, and red wine, darken teeth.

Tobacco use: Smoking, chewing tobacco, and related products lead to darker teeth.

Bad dental hygiene: Not brushing and flossing enough leads to dental issues that affect tooth color.

Trauma: Tooth and mouth injuries from collisions can darken teeth.

Aging: Your enamel thins as you get older, leading to more yellowing.

Genetics: Your family history can play a part in your tooth color.

Medications: Some antibiotics, antihistamines, and blood pressure drugs change tooth color.
Diseases: Eating disorders, celiac disease, metabolic diseases, and calcium deficiencies affect tooth color.

How teeth whitening works

The procedure starts by bleaching teeth. A whitening agent, such as hydrogen or carbamide peroxide, is applied. We use the Zoom teeth whitening method, which works by application of a hydrogen peroxide gel, followed by exposure to an LED light while the gel sits on your teeth.

The timeframe varies depending on the version of the Zoom treatment you receive, which can range from as short as 10 minutes (Zoom QuickPro) to as long as 45 minutes (Zoom WhiteSpeed).

How to preserve your treatment

With proper care, a single treatment can last over six months. To maximize the length of time you enjoy whiter teeth, follow these tips:

Proper dental care

Brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once to keep plaque from building up, remove particles from teeth, and keep them white.

Avoid things that stain teeth

This is especially important within the first day of the treatment, but reducing the amount of tea, coffee, juices, berries, and other foods and drinks that stain will help keep your teeth bright and white.

Don’t smoke or use tobacco

Not smoking helps your body in several ways, but not doing it after you have your teeth whitened makes keeping them bright much easier.

Manage adverse side effects

This procedure can be somewhat uncomfortable if you have sensitive teeth, but we can recommend toothpaste that helps manage the issue.

Teeth whitening can make a significant difference in your smile and, consequently, your confidence, but once you've had it done, you need to work to maintain the results. Call or message Davidson Dental Group today to achieve brighter teeth for a longer period.