What Beverages And Foods Should I Avoid After Having My Teeth Whitened?

Professional tooth whitening is one of the more cost-effective cosmetic dental procedures for restoring your natural smile. When your teeth are discolored or stained and you are hesitant about smiling, it can adversely affect your self-esteem and leave a bad first impression when meeting someone for the first time. At Community Dental Group, we have always instructed our patients how to properly care for their teeth after we have whitened them. This includes the beverages and foods you need to avoid consuming after the procedure.

 

Cold Beverages And Foods

Once you have undergone a teeth whitening procedure at our Thousand Oaks facility, your teeth may be sensitive for up to 36 hours afterwards. You want to avoid drinking cold beverages and eating cold foods immediately after taking them out of your refrigerator as this could cause you some pain and discomfort. We suggest that you consume them once they have reached room temperature.

 

Darker Beverages

Although you will be able to drink milk, water, and other clear or white beverages, you should avoid the darker colored drinks as they can leave stains on your newly whitened smile. Do not drink coffee or tea, as well as colas and dark sodas or red wines. You should also avoid colored beverages such as cranberry, grape, orange, and tomato juices.

 

Foods That Stain Your Teeth

There are certain foods that we will suggest avoiding after we have whitened your teeth because of their staining qualities. This includes dark beets and blueberries; chocolates, marinades, and soups; soy, tomato, and Worcestershire sauces; and stews. Your procedure will be much more effective if you avoid these foods.

 

Foods With A High Acid Content

When you have your teeth whitened, they may be temporarily sensitive for a day or two after the procedure has been completed, especially when it comes to consuming certain foods that have a high acid content. This will cause some pain and discomfort when eating your meals. We recommend that you avoid foods with a low pH factor such as citrus beverages and foods as well as pickles and sodas. These can increase the acid level in your saliva and could damage those teeth areas that whitening chemicals have temporarily weakened.