DENTIST REVEALS 'WHITE SHIRT RULE' FOR EATING AND DRINKING WHILE TEETH WHITENING
27 MAR 2023
"When you’re investing your money and time to make your teeth whiter, you don’t want to undo all of your hard work by consuming the wrong things."
Whitening
If you’re planning on whitening your teeth, or are in the process of doing so, you’re bound to have questions about what you can and can’t eat and drink.
When you’re investing your money and time to make your teeth whiter, you don’t want to undo all of your hard work by consuming the wrong things.
So Pro Smile® dentists have a rule to follow in the key 90-minute window after using your teeth whitening gels called ‘the white shirt rule’.
It’s nothing to do with what you’re wearing but in fact relates to the colour of any food or drink you might want to consume.
Pro Smile® founder and leading UK dentist Dr. Julian Perry explained why it’s such an effective rule to follow.
He said: “If you look at the mouth before you tooth whiten, there’s a protein film over our teeth made up of saliva and it's called the glycoprotein pellicle. It’s an invisible microscopic layer which is over all of our teeth now. When you use a teeth whitening gel, that protective layer is stripped off by the oxidising so that it can get to the tooth to remove the stain. That’s why I always tell my patients that once you’ve finished a whitening session, you must not have anything to eat or drink that would stain a white shirt for at least 90 minutes.”
Once that 90 minute window has passed, you can get back to enjoying any foods and drinks you like of any colour you fancy.
But during that initial time, you should avoid things like red wine, curry or teas and coffees which could certainly leave a stain on your favourite white shirt.
The reason you have to wait for 90 minutes is to allow the saliva in your mouth to reconstitute that all-important glycoprotein layer which forms over our teeth.
When you’re investing your money and time to make your teeth whiter, you don’t want to undo all of your hard work by consuming the wrong things.
So Pro Smile® dentists have a rule to follow in the key 90-minute window after using your teeth whitening gels called ‘the white shirt rule’.
It’s nothing to do with what you’re wearing but in fact relates to the colour of any food or drink you might want to consume.
Pro Smile® founder and leading UK dentist Dr. Julian Perry explained why it’s such an effective rule to follow.
He said: “If you look at the mouth before you tooth whiten, there’s a protein film over our teeth made up of saliva and it's called the glycoprotein pellicle. It’s an invisible microscopic layer which is over all of our teeth now. When you use a teeth whitening gel, that protective layer is stripped off by the oxidising so that it can get to the tooth to remove the stain. That’s why I always tell my patients that once you’ve finished a whitening session, you must not have anything to eat or drink that would stain a white shirt for at least 90 minutes.”
Once that 90 minute window has passed, you can get back to enjoying any foods and drinks you like of any colour you fancy.
But during that initial time, you should avoid things like red wine, curry or teas and coffees which could certainly leave a stain on your favourite white shirt.
The reason you have to wait for 90 minutes is to allow the saliva in your mouth to reconstitute that all-important glycoprotein layer which forms over our teeth.
What happens if you drink red wine during teeth whitening?
If you’re day whitening, finish your session and decide to grab a glass of red wine you will end up with red teeth.
It sounds quite scary, doesn’t it!
White wine will also change the colour of your teeth to a rather unsightly yellow colour.
And you can probably imagine what happens if you tuck into a curry straight afterwards.
You might look in the mirror and panic, fearing your beautiful teeth that you hoped would be whiter are now stained forever.
But fear not, the damage caused by foods and drinks in that 90 minute window won’t be permanent and there’s a simple way to get rid of the staining.
All you have to do is load up your trays with some fresh whitening gel, pop them in, and then after around five minutes your teeth will be stain free. It’s like using the undo button on your keyboard!
It sounds quite scary, doesn’t it!
White wine will also change the colour of your teeth to a rather unsightly yellow colour.
And you can probably imagine what happens if you tuck into a curry straight afterwards.
You might look in the mirror and panic, fearing your beautiful teeth that you hoped would be whiter are now stained forever.
But fear not, the damage caused by foods and drinks in that 90 minute window won’t be permanent and there’s a simple way to get rid of the staining.
All you have to do is load up your trays with some fresh whitening gel, pop them in, and then after around five minutes your teeth will be stain free. It’s like using the undo button on your keyboard!
Try and have your cuppa before using your day whitening
Many people find the best time of day for their whitening is on the morning commute when they can pop them in and forget about it.
But the danger with this is when you reach the office, the first thing you want to do is grab a cuppa.
So to avoid having to wait 90 minutes after arriving at work before you can have a cuppa, we advise patients to have their coffee before leaving the house.
It might be a change of routine for a bit, but you might find you prefer things that way.
But the danger with this is when you reach the office, the first thing you want to do is grab a cuppa.
So to avoid having to wait 90 minutes after arriving at work before you can have a cuppa, we advise patients to have their coffee before leaving the house.
It might be a change of routine for a bit, but you might find you prefer things that way.
What are the best foods to eat during teeth whitening?
Dr Perry says this is one of the most common questions he’s asked by people during their teeth whitening.
And he has a simple answer.
“Just try to eat white things” he says. “Things like pasta without sauces, jacket potatoes or lettuce. Or just try to get into the routine of not eating for 90 minutes after wearing your trays. It isn’t too long to wait and will help you get the best results.”
And he has a simple answer.
“Just try to eat white things” he says. “Things like pasta without sauces, jacket potatoes or lettuce. Or just try to get into the routine of not eating for 90 minutes after wearing your trays. It isn’t too long to wait and will help you get the best results.”
What makes Pro Smile® teeth whitening so good?
Pro Smile® is the first-ever dentist surgery standard teeth whitening service you complete 100% from home - and it costs up to 70% less than your high street dentist.
Professional whitening can only be prescribed by a dentist, so if you’re buying a cheap kit that won’t be the same as dentist standard whitening.
The unique thing about Pro Smile® is we are dentists, so we can prescribe exactly the same standard of whitening gel as your local dentist but charge less and let you complete your course at home.
Pro Smile® is a prescription-based service which is required to meet prescription criteria. So once you’ve completed all of the necessary paperwork, we will supervise the first application of your gel via a virtual call to ensure the highest standards are being met. You’ll then be given access to the “clients only” area of our website for more information and to continue your course of treatment.
Professional whitening can only be prescribed by a dentist, so if you’re buying a cheap kit that won’t be the same as dentist standard whitening.
The unique thing about Pro Smile® is we are dentists, so we can prescribe exactly the same standard of whitening gel as your local dentist but charge less and let you complete your course at home.
Pro Smile® is a prescription-based service which is required to meet prescription criteria. So once you’ve completed all of the necessary paperwork, we will supervise the first application of your gel via a virtual call to ensure the highest standards are being met. You’ll then be given access to the “clients only” area of our website for more information and to continue your course of treatment.
How does teeth whitening work?
Genuine teeth whitening is achieved with one of two active ingredients: hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. You apply them in bespoke ‘trays’ which you wear in your mouth like lightweight gumshields.
You can either use one during the day or the other during the night - it comes down to patient preference in most cases. You might prefer the day option where you pop in the trays in the morning and evening for 45 minutes each time, while others will go for wearing them overnight instead.
The Pro Smile® team will guide you through every step of your treatment, with virtual consultations available if you would like to chat through any aspect of your whitening.
Customers who use Pro Smile® can look forward to a whiter, brighter smile which can boost your confidence and improve your look. And all without having to make a single visit to a surgery to flick through old magazines and be forced to sit in a dentist’s chair.
No surgery visits. No unnecessary procedures. No fuss.
Click here to begin your Pro Smile® journey today.
You can either use one during the day or the other during the night - it comes down to patient preference in most cases. You might prefer the day option where you pop in the trays in the morning and evening for 45 minutes each time, while others will go for wearing them overnight instead.
The Pro Smile® team will guide you through every step of your treatment, with virtual consultations available if you would like to chat through any aspect of your whitening.
Customers who use Pro Smile® can look forward to a whiter, brighter smile which can boost your confidence and improve your look. And all without having to make a single visit to a surgery to flick through old magazines and be forced to sit in a dentist’s chair.
No surgery visits. No unnecessary procedures. No fuss.
Click here to begin your Pro Smile® journey today.
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