Last year, more than a million Americans had their teeth whitened. This usually involves wearing a bleaching apparatus for several nights and follow up care.According to Dr. William Dorfman, DDS, who created Nite White and Nite White Excel, two at-home whitening products most often prescribed by dentists, teeth can stay pearly white with a little care. His tips include:
- Go easy on coffee, colored sodas, tea, grape juice, soy sauce and red wine -- the worst offenders. Sipping through a straw won't prevent stain build up.
- Brush after every meal -- including snacks and soft drinks. If you have a blueberry muffin on your coffee break, don't wait until after lunch to brush. The longer staining agents stays on teeth, the more discoloration they can cause.
- Keep small travel-size toothbrushes and toothpaste in your purse, in your desk and in the glove compartment of your car to clean teeth immediately after eating or drinking.
- Don't smoke -- it turns teeth yellow and makes your breath smell.
- Give your teeth a thorough cleaning every time you brush and make sure to contact each tooth surface thoroughly so stains don't adhere.
- Consult with your dentist. Together you can determine a tooth whitening touch up schedule that's right for you.
