How to Maintain Your Pearly White Smile After Teeth Whitening

If you’re starting this new year with a newly whitened smile, you’re enjoying the benefits. You might feel more confident flashing a grin or taking that group photo. You probably want to do what you can to keep your teeth pearly and bright so you can continue enjoying this boost. 

Because we specialize in teeth whitening, Gemini Master-Patel, DMD, and our team have some tips for you. Whether you visited us at Riverside Dental in Yonkers or Thornwood, New York, for your teeth whitening or you went elsewhere, we have four suggestions to keep your teeth bright. 

#1: Don’t smoke or use tobacco products

This is the single best thing you can do to maintain a white smile. Tobacco stains teeth. While early studies suggest that vapes and e-cigarettes may cause less staining, the risk of discoloration remains. 

In other words, if you want to do one thing to keep your smile bright in 2025 and beyond, keep tobacco away from your teeth. 

#2: Watch what you drink

A lot of popular drinks can contribute to teeth staining. Those include:

• Cola
• Wine
• Coffee
• Dark-colored teas
• Dark fruit juices (e.g., cranberry juice, cherry juice)

This isn’t to say you can’t enjoy these drinks. But be mindful about how you do so. Using a straw for your iced coffee, iced tea, or cola can minimize how much of the liquid touches your teeth. 

If you love hot tea in the morning, add a splash of milk. Doing so can help limit tooth discoloration. 

When you do drink a potentially staining substance, drink some water immediately afterward. The water can wash staining substances off the surface of your teeth. 

#3: Brush and floss regularly

The hard outer coating on your teeth (enamel) is naturally white. Beneath that is dentin, which is yellow. Keeping your enamel in the best shape possible helps keep your smile pearly. And that means maintaining good oral hygiene.

Brush twice a day and floss daily. This removes plaque, which contains bacteria that can eat away at your enamel. 

A whitening toothpaste may also help. Dr. Master-Patel can recommend a good option for your specific smile. 

#4: Schedule biannual teeth cleanings

If plaque has enough time on your teeth, it can harden into tartar. This substance looks yellow, gray, or even black. Your toothbrush and floss aren’t strong enough to remove tartar. Fortunately, Dr. Master-Patel can remove the tartar from your teeth at your twice-yearly appointment. 

To get rid of surface stains and keep your teeth looking as white as possible, don’t skip these biannual visits to our office. 

For help maintaining your brightest, healthiest smile, we’re here. Call our Riverside Dental office nearest you or book your appointment online.