After a teeth whitening procedure, your teeth can be sensitive during the first few hours to couple of days, so many dentists recommend avoiding certain foods for 2 to 3 days. After a professional teeth whitening, your teeth can become slightly porous, and the dentin layer can become temporarily exposed. Acidic and dark-colored foods are more easily absorbed into your teeth after whitening, which can cause discoloration. Avoid foods that are too hot or too cold and make sure the food items are at room temperature.
Here are some of the foods and drinks that you can have after teeth whitening: Fish & Tofu, Rice, Bread & Pasta, White Cheese & Yogurt, Fruits such as Bananas & Apples, Vegetables such as Potatoes & Mushrooms and plenty of water for rehydration.
Here are some of the food and drinks to avoid after teeth whitening: Wine, Coffee & Tea, Soft Drinks, Candy & Chocolate, Dark Fruits.
Mangoes are usually acidic, and acidic foods are rich in pigments that stain your whitened teeth. Acidic foods also contribute to enamel erosion. Therefore, do not eat a mango for at least 48 hours.
Stay away from mango juice as well. Colored juices and foods are not recommended. If you must, drink the juice through a straw to avoid contact with the teeth.
Although popcorn can be a safe food to eat, just make sure it doesn’t get stuck between your teeth. Avoid popcorn with food coloring as it will damage your whitened teeth. The normal white popcorn remains safe.
It is better to avoid peanut butter. The peanut butter can also get stuck between your teeth, sometimes in hard-to-reach places, and it’s a colored food, meaning it can stain your teeth. You are better off avoiding it.
Most kinds of chicken and turkey are okay to eat after treatment. Pork and white fish are other recommended meat. Baked or boiled chicken would be a safe bet. Grilled chicken is not ideally the best option.
You can’t eat dark chocolate until at least one week. Some dentists recommend staying away from the chocolate bar for at least 10-14 days. However, you can eat white chocolate as it doesn’t stain your teeth.
Dark chocolates have refined sugars that lead to erosion, decay, and discoloration. Besides, dark chocolates color your tongue, which shows the level of damage they can do to the treatment if you eat them earlier than recommended.
It depends on what constitutes the salad. Potato and macaroni salads are safe. Although lettuce should not be a problem, other items in the salad such as cranberries could be. Hence many dentists recommend avoiding salads which may also have tomatoes, broccoli, sprouts, sweet corn, peas and beetroots.
