Wine/Coffee After Teeth Whitening Woodinville, WA

So many of your favorite foods and beverages can cause your teeth to develop stains and become discolored. Thankfully, Dr. Cristin Dowd and Dr. Ken Wu have many cosmetic dentistry treatments that can remove stains and brighten your smile. Teeth whitening is the most popular of them by far. A single teeth whitening session at our Woodinville, WA practice can lighten a smile by several shades.

The team at Signature Smiles often receives questions about stains and discoloration after teeth whitening is performed. Let’s cover some of the basics and offer some insight and advice.

Can My Teeth Get Stained After Teeth Whitening?

Yes.

Even though teeth whitening will make stains and discoloration go away, that does not make your teeth resistant to future stains. In fact, it’s not unheard of for dental stains to develop again after teeth whitening treatment has been completed.

Given these realities, the team at our Woodinville dental center always advises caution to patients when it comes to any foods, beverages, or substances that can lead to tooth discoloration. Moderation is key in general, but when it comes to coffee and wine specifically, there are certain things you can do to keep stains to a minimum.

Tips to Avoid Stains When Drinking Coffee

Here’s some advice to consider the next time you’re drinking coffee:

• Drink Water While Having Coffee - A little sip of water in between sips of coffee can help clear away stain-causing particles on your teeth.
• Add Milk to Your Coffee - Milk won’t just cut the acidity of your coffee. It can also lighten it and reduce the severity of stains. Whether it’s whole, skim, soy, or almond, consider a splash of milk in your coffee.
• Drink Iced Coffee Through a Straw - If you love iced coffee, use a drinking straw. The straw helps the liquid bypass your front teeth, which means that stains will be less of an issue in the long run.
• Brush Your Teeth Half an Hour After Having Coffee - Brushing your teeth will remove any discoloring coffee residue from your smile. Wait 30 minutes to ensure your tooth enamel is no longer softened by the acidity of the coffee.

Tips to Avoid Stains When Drinking Wine

Here’s some advice to consider the next time you’re enjoying some wine:

• Drink Water While Having Wine - As with coffee, having a bit of water to help swish and rinse away wine is going to help keep your teeth brighter and whiter longer.
• Consider White Wine - White wine doesn’t go with every meal, but it won’t stain your teeth as bad as red wine. Change things up every now and then when the occasion calls for it.
• Brush Your Teeth Half an Hour After Having Wine - Again, brushing your teeth is a sure way to remove all the wine residue from your teeth and ensure your smile will be bright and white. Wait 30 minutes to be on the safe side when it comes to wine residue.

Can I Get Touch-Up Teeth Whitening Treatment Later On?

Yes, you sure can.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for patients who underwent teeth whitening at our Woodinville practice a few years ago to come in for a little bit of touch-up bleaching. This helps remove stains that have developed and improve the overall brightness and whiteness of a smile in the process.

Speak with Our Dentists

To learn more about keeping your smile clean and healthy after teeth whitening treatment, be sure to contact Signature Smiles. Dr. Dowd and Dr. Wu can be reached by phone at (425) 489-1177.