After Care following Teeth Whitening

  • The first 48 hours following your teeth whitening treatment are quite critical. The tooth whitening process opens the pores in the tooth and as such leaves them temporarily susceptible to staining in the short term. In this time – up to 48 hours – avoid any foods and drinks that will stain – tea, coffee, red wine, or any dark liquids or foods. Try to stick to a white and clear diet.
  • Some people can experience sensitivity in the teeth during the first 24- 72 hours after the whitening treatment. Eden Dental uses a laser to aid in the whitening process, but this technique also relaxes the nerves of the teeth and therefore drastically reduces, if not cancels any sensitivity. Ifhowever you do experience this sensitivity, use a desensitizing toothpaste, such as SensodyneTM, or Colgate Sensitive or Oral-B sensitive toothpastes to ease the discomfort. If this persists phone our offices to get other desensitizing materials.
  • After the treatment, it is natural for teeth colour to regress somewhat over time. This is normal and should be very gradual, but it can be accelerated by exposing the teeth to various staining agents, such as coffee, tea, tobacco, red wine, colas, citrus drinks and fruits, etc. Generally Eden Dental will manufacture bleach trays for a full bleach, together with a take home bleach gel. Be aware that the pores of your enamel will remain open for as long as you use this gel and so you should refrain from staining agents till you stop using the bleaching agent. You can resume your normal habits 24 hours after treatment. Also, be aware that drinks and food are not the only things that can stain our teeth when the pores are open; lipstick, for example, can stain too. Do NOT apply lipstick soon after whitening your teeth.
  • REMEMBER to keep your bleach trays safe and away from pets, as they love to chew them. These bleach trays can be used six months down the line to touch up any stains that may have accumulated in the time frame. You can purchase bleach gel from the front office.
  • Allergies: Some people are allergic to peroxide but may not be aware of it. If you had the treatment done and a few hours or a day later you have a blister on your lips, you are probably having an allergic reaction to the gel. Buy liquid vitamin E from your pharmacist and apply it to the blister until it goes away. It generally goes away within a couple of days by itself anyway. You can also take any over-the-counter antihistamine.

Teeth Whitening RESULTS

  • How long the results will last depends on 2 main factors: 1) your habits, and 2) the porosity of your teeth. If you expose your teeth to staining agents such as tobacco, coffee, red wine, tea, coca cola, etc. on a regular basis, your whitening results will not last as long. If you have naturally porous enamel, your teeth will be more vulnerable to staining agents and your teeth will get stained again sooner than the average person.
    Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing ahead of time how porous your teeth are.
  • N.B. Bleaching does NOT lighten or whiten fillings or crowns. The darker the stain uptake, the longer it will take to bleach, and sometimes a process of a few treatments will be necessary.
  • Bleaching refers to a process of removing stains in the teeth, and therefore it is not an actual WHITENING of the teeth and by association the dentist cannot guarantee a specific shade. Bleaching should bring your tooth back to it’s original shade.

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53 Voortrekker Avenue,
Edenvale, Gauteng, 1610

011 453 7612
011 453 7613

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