Have you ever wondered how often should you whiten your teeth?
It is recommended that professional teeth whitening be performed once a year, although you may want to do touch-ups throughout the year.
Keep reading to learn all about your teeth maintenance and what you need to do to make whitening last longer.
How Often Should You Whiten Your Teeth?
So how often can you whiten your teeth?
Professional teeth whitening performed in the dentist’s office is recommended once a year, depending on how long the results last.
The frequency of use for at-home kits can range from once every four to six months.
The effects of store-bought whitening strips or at-home whitening kits, however, do not last very long. Keep in mind that your dentist may advise against bleaching your teeth more frequently than that.
If the whitening agent is not applied correctly, doing so may result in gum irritation and damage to the enamel.
Related Reading: How Often Should You Use Whitening Strips?
Why is Teeth Whitening Only Done Once a Year?
In-office teeth whitening uses strong bleaching agents to create a whiter smile in a short period of time.
Although in-office teeth whitening provides quick, effective results, the bleaching agents used by dentists temporarily erode your teeth’s enamel.
This explains why some people experience brief tooth sensitivity following professional teeth whitening.
When done once a year, this thinning of the tooth enamel does not harm the teeth, but if it is done more frequently or if the teeth are already in bad shape, the weakened enamel may cause harm to the teeth.
Your dentist will examine your teeth before beginning your first professional in-office teeth whitening procedure to make sure the bleaching agents won’t harm them.
Read More: Can You Whiten Bonded Teeth?
How to Make Whitening Last Longer?
Regardless of how often you can whiten your teeth, there are practical things you can do at home to help you keep your smile brighter, for longer.
You won’t have to keep purchasing new at-home whitening kits or gels in this manner.
1. Rinse With Water After You Drink Dark Liquids
Perhaps giving up coffee, tea, or red wine permanently is not in your near future. After eating, you can take a break and go to the sink to rinse your mouth out with water.
While it won’t completely remove the stain particles, doing this will help rinse many of them away before they have a chance to clog up the tiny pores in your tooth enamel.
2. Drink With a Straw
Drinks almost never manage to stain the area right in front of your top teeth when they flow right past them!
To maintain your smile’s brilliance in between visits to the dentist for professional teeth whitening, think about making drinking through a straw a habit. To reduce unnecessary waste, choose a washable, reusable option.
3. Don’t Smoke
This may seem like common sense, but it’s crucial! Your dental health will suffer if you smoke. It harms not only the general condition of your mouth and teeth, but also their overall appearance.
Regular smoking will cause teeth to yellow, completely undoing the benefits of the whitening process. If you smoke and want to keep your teeth white, now is a great time to stop.
4. Avoid Foods and Drinks That Stain
There are other factors besides smoking that can contribute to yellowing teeth.
Even though they aren’t necessarily unhealthy, many foods and beverages can stain your teeth. Even though you don’t have to completely avoid these things, it’s best to keep your intake to a minimum and stay hydrated.
Some of these foods include
- Coffee
- Red wine
- Berries
- Marinara sauce
- Some teas
These foods are ok in modest quantities. Don’t eat too much of them, and just rinse well afterwards. Coffee is a major cause of tooth discoloration, so take caution!
Also Read:
5. Plan Regular Dental Cleanings
A minimum of twice a year should pass without you scheduling a checkup and cleaning. It’s still there even if you don’t notice much buildup on your teeth.
Additionally, your hygienist can polish your enamel to remove minute layers of buildup so that your touch-up application at home will be more effective.
Takeaway: How Often Should You Whiten Your Teeth
In-office teeth whitening treatment offers a way for you to brighten your smile safely.
Dentists recommend getting whitening treatment once a year or so for most patients to keep their smiles looking aesthetically pleasing.
Too much tooth whitening may lead to oral health issues like eroded enamel.
Read More:
FAQs
How Often Should You Whiten Your Teeth With Strips?
Usually, you have to put them on twice a day for an average of 2 weeks.
How Often Can You Whiten Your Teeth With Led Light?
Use 15 minutes once a day for 21 days, and then one to two times weekly to maintain that beautiful smile.
Can Yellow Teeth Become White Again?
Teeth whitening procedures at the dentist or at home can completely whiten yellow teeth.
