TABLE OF CONTENTS
- How does teeth whitening treatment work?
- Why you need to be mindful of your eating
- What NOT to eat
- Good foods to eat
- Drinking
- Other ways to keep your teeth white
Whitening your teeth can help to remove stains on teeth and give you more confidence in your smile. But to make it work the most effectively, you may need to make some temporary changes to your diet. Here’s what you should and should not eat after teeth whitening.
How does teeth whitening treatment work?
The standard in-chair teeth whitening procedure involves placing bleaching gel onto the teeth and activating it with a UV laser light. This light releases a high concentrate of the bleaching agent peroxide into the teeth to remove the chemical compounds that make up stains on your enamel. Without these chemicals, your teeth are better able to reflect light, in turn helping your tooth enamel appear whiter.
Teeth whitening treatment is used by people looking to remove stains and discolouration. This may be for long-term improvements, or for a specific event in the short-term future. Teeth whitened with laser treatments in the chair typically last longer than at-home or over-the-counter teeth whitening treatments.
For more information on everything about teeth whitening, check out our explainer.
Side effects
After a teeth whitening procedure, there are two main side effects to watch out for: sensitivity and irritation. Due to the exposure of dentin during treatment, your teeth may be more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures temporarily. Additionally, the combination of laser light and whitening gel can create small chemical burns in the gums, leaving them sore. Both of these effects should be temporary and will reduce easily with time. Any symptoms that last can be addressed by your dentist.
Why you need to be mindful of your eating
After whitening treatment, tiny enamel tubes are opened and made susceptible to different colours in what you eat and drink. If you expose your teeth to too much colour, your enamel will absorb it and create stains on your teeth.
Timeline
For at least the first 48 hours after whitening, patients should choose foods and drinks that are white or pale. This will help to avoid any stains developing, while also preventing any further irritation to your teeth and gums. Drinking plenty of water will help your gum tissue to recover quicker. After about a week you can resume your normal diet. However, you should be mindful of avoiding overly coloured substances for that week, and particularly the first 3 days.
What NOT to eat after teeth whitening
Before we get into the good options, it might be more useful to rule out the foods you should avoid after teeth whitening. Obviously brightly coloured foods are the main culprits to avoid, including candy, lollies and chocolate. However, this can also mean dark fruits and berries, red pistachios and other coloured nuts, as well as balsamic vinegar dressing, red vinaigrette, tomato sauce and soy sauce. It is worthwhile to avoid spices like turmeric, curry powder and cinnamon.
Other than colours, it is good practice to avoid anything overly acidic, including citrus fruits, as well as foods that are extremely high in sugar, like caramel or some breakfast cereals. Acidity and sugar can irritate your teeth and gums, causing discomfort and potentially tooth decay, but also reducing the effectiveness of teeth whitening.
Good foods to eat after teeth whitening
Maintaining your newly whitened teeth does require some discipline in your diet. Many professionals recommend what is known as the ‘white diet’, or some variation of it, but the basic principle is simply to eat foods that are white or light in colour to avoid staining. These are the foods we recommend to eat for the first few days after teeth whitening.
Breakfast
Breakfast might be the easiest of the main meals to adapt to after whitening procedures, with many breakfast favourites already fitting the bill. For breakfast, light coloured foods you can turn to include scrambled eggs, particularly if they are made with only egg whites, as well as porridge and white yoghurt. If you are going to have bread, make sure it’s normal white bread, and potentially even remove the crust just to be sure. For a bit of fruit, turn to a banana as a healthy and safe brekkie option.
Lunch
For lunch, your typical sandwich might be an easy go! The same rule applies: white bread with the crust removed is the best option. Turkey and chicken are healthy sources of protein due to their lighter colours, but avoid pairing them with any dark spreads or jams. Use creamy white sauces if you need an added flavour hit. Similarly, a bagel with cream cheese can be an easy alternative.
Other good meals include pasta if it is made with green pesto or a white sauce, as well as boiled rice with some protein. White fish is another great lunchtime option.
Dinner
If you want to include some protein, opt for chicken or white fish but avoid red meats, as these can be tough on your teeth while also potentially leading to some stains. If you need an alternative, tofu is also an appropriate option in the white diet.
To pair with your main food, potato can be both nutritious and safe on your teeth. We recommend peeling off the skin to keep it as white as possible, and not using sweet potatoes which are more brightly coloured. Beans and rice are a good pair, but steer clear of black beans. White onion is also a nice way to boost the flavour and texture of your meal without affecting your teeth.
Snacks
When needing a little food in between meals, potato chips are a great option if they are not overly coloured, but they might not always be the healthiest choice. You can always turn to white yoghurt as well as fruits, including apples, bananas and pears. Finally, white cheese is a favourite snack food that is still very safe on your teeth. If you’re going in for a treatment soon, load up on those white cheese sticks!
Drinking
After teeth whitening treatment, water is your best friend. Not only does it provide a host of health benefits, it also helps to rinse your mouth without having any colour. But we understand that people might not want to only drink water.
For other drinks, milk, apple juice, green tea and clear soft drinks (like Sprite) are all safe on your teeth. If you want to be very careful, using a straw can avoid direct contact with your teeth to avoid irritation.
Try to avoid drinking coffee (particularly black coffee), red wine, beer and black tea for at least a week after your treatment. To maintain whiteness, it might be worthwhile to rinse and brush your teeth after consuming these drinks once you have brought them back into your regular diet.
Other ways to keep your teeth white
Teeth whitening treatment is unfortunately not permanent, and does require some aftercare to maintain results. Our top tips to keep your brighter smile include quitting smoking, rinsing your mouth after eating, and going to your regular dental check-ups and cleans every 6 months. Doing these things will keep your teeth enamel bright while also preserving your overall oral health.
The most important practice is to maintain good oral hygiene habits at home, including brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once. Consider making a dental care pack to take with you when you are out and about, so that you can always brush or clean when you need to.
More questions?
If you have a specific food in mind but aren’t sure if it’s safe to eat after whitening treatment, or just want to explore your teeth whitening options, book in a chat with our friendly team today. We’ll take you through how teeth whitening works, what you need, and how we can help.
Don’t wait to improve the brightness of your teeth — start your journey today. We can’t wait to help you smile.
