Although the CDC notes that there is no evidence to support the transmission of COVID-19 through food, that doesn't mean you're safe from being infected with the novel coronavirus when eating.

Whether dining out, ordering takeout or delivery, or handling food after grocery shopping, there are multiple eating habits that can put you at risk of COVID-19, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Here are the seven most common eating risks you should avoid during the COVID-19 pandemic due to their links to contracting the virus, as explained by the Mayo Clinic. Read on, and for more on healthy eating, don't miss11 Best Tips for Safe Grocery Shopping Amid Coronavirus Concerns.

The Mayo Clinic urges that if you go to a restaurant, you shouldn't stay long. The longer you are around people without masks, the longer your exposure time, the more of the virus you breathe in, and the more it can build up and infect you. The Mayo Clinic reports that being exposed to an infected person who is within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period can put you at increased risk of COVID-19.

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Going to a restaurant when it's busiest will increase the probability that you may come into contact with a person infected with COVID-19. The Mayo Clinic recommends that you avoid eating out at busy times of day or night.

While you're not eating in a restaurant where you could be exposed to someone infected with COVID-19 over long periods of time, there are still some risks associated with coming into contact with someone with COVID-19 when ordering takeout or delivery; however, following the proper precautions will significantly lower this risk. The Mayo Clinic suggests that you "try to pay online or over the phone to limit contact with others" when ordering takeout.

For delivery, "ask for it to be left outside your home in a safe spot, such as the porch or your building's lobby." Whether it's takeout or delivery, stay at least 6 feet away from the person handling your food. Lastly, "after bringing home your food, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer."

Of course, you need to remove your face mask in order to eat food, but the Mayo Clinic urges that you still "wear a face covering as much as possible when you are not actively eating or drinking."

There are some ugly side effects of drinking too much alcoholwhich include liver problems and weight gainbut there's one additional side effect of drinking too much alcohol to be hyperaware of during COVID: that it can make you less likely to follow safety measures, according to the Mayo Clinic.

While Mayo Clinic doctor William F. Marshall, III M.D. notes that there is no evidence of anyone contracting the virus that causes COVID-19 after touching food containers and food packaging, it does have some best practices to follow when ordering food to go. These include transferring food to a clean dish using clean utensils, washing your hands again before eating, and cleaning and disinfecting any surfaces that had takeout containers on them.

Currently, there is no evidence to support the transmission of COVID-19 associated with food, according to the CDC. However, there is some evidence to support that it is possible to contract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object (like food) that has the virus on it and then touching your face; however, this is not the main way the virus spreads.

"The biggest risk of contracting the virus from food would be if you touch food that's been exposed and then touch your face," says Dr. Abinash Virk, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist. "In that sense, it is best to wash your hands before and after handling food and washing unpeeled fruits and vegetables before you eat them."

To be as safe as possible, the Mayo Clinic suggests following best practice food safety guidelines: wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them, by running them under water, scrubbing produce that has a rind or thick skin with a clean produce brush, and washing your hands well with soap and water as soon as you get home from the grocery store. It is possible to harness the power of food to protect you from the coronavirus. See these 11 Best Immune-Boosting Foods to Fight COVID-19, Say Doctors.

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Mayo Clinic Warns of These Diet Risks During COVID | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Its no secret that intermittent fasting is the weight-loss method du jour. Instagram is packed with people who swear intermittent fasting (IF) helped them lose weight, feel more energized, and have better overall health.

But with all of the info out there about intermittent fasting, its easy to gloss over the fact that IF has actually been a used as a medical intervention for years. Its helped people with a range of health conditions, including diabetes.

In fact, the American Diabetes Association (ADA), which is considered the leading educational organization for diabetes in the country, published this in its journal Diabetes in 2018: In both experimental and clinical studies, intermittent fasting has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose control along with modest decreases in body weight.

And last year, the ADA released a nutrition consensus report that also addressed intermittent fasting. In it, the ADA wrote that somebut not allsmall studies have shown that intermittent fasting reduced A1C in people with diabetes. (A1C is a measure of your average blood sugar over time.) Still, there isnt a mainstream, blanket recommendation for diabetes patients when it comes to intermittent fasting for better health, but there does seem to be some link here.

So whats the deal with intermittent fasting and diabetes, and should you try the eating pattern if you have the condition? Doctors weigh in.

Again, this isnt an eating plan thats widely recommended by diabetes specialists, but there is some data to suggest IF could help with diabetes management.

A case report published in BMJ found that intermittent fasting helped treat the insulin resistance in three patients with insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes. It also lowered their A1C levels. And, this is definitely worth paying attention to: After using intermittent fasting for several months, the patients were able to stop using their insulin medication.

Intermittent fasting may even help with prediabetes. A clinical trial published in the journal Cell Metabolism that had men with prediabetes try intermittent fasting. Some were asked to follow a plan for five weeks where they could eat for six hours a day; the others were asked to eat for 12 hours a day. Those who followed the six-hour eating plan ended up having less insulin resistance at the end vs. those who followed the more regular 12-hour eating pattern.

But all of that said, a meta-analysis of research on intermittent fasting published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that intermittent fasting had the same results on a persons insulin resistance and A1C as eating a diet with limited calories.

Basically, there is no evidence that intermittent or any other type of fasting is better than caloric restriction in losing weight, says Mark H. Schutta, MD, medical director of the Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center. And, he points out, weight loss can help reduce a patients insulin resistant and A1C levels, regardless of how it was achieved.

The research on the impact of intermittent fasting and diabetes isnt perfect, says Lissette Cspedes, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. In clinical studies, the study sizes have generally been small and the follow up period is short, she says. Studies also vary by which method of fasting is employed. As such, long-term benefit and generalizability cannot be determined.

All in all, it's unclear if intermittent fasting is helpful for any other reason than the fact that it may help you cut calories, since you're eating in a shorter window of time.

While some people swear that intermittent fasting will completely change your life, those claims are a little overblown. Still, theres some research to suggest that IF has perks. Those include:

A lot if it comes down to personal preference. Patients need to work with their physician to find a plan that works best for them [that] poses the fewest risks, and that they can sustain over a long period of time, Dr. Cspedes says.

That said, a 16:8 schedule may be easiest to follow and the most beneficial for maintaining good blood glucose controland several studies have found this eating pattern to be beneficial. I often tell my patients that the most impactful change they can make is to eat less at dinner, go to bed with a normal or close to normal glucose, and then wake up with the same, Dr. Schutta says.

But, again, There truly is no one-size fits all approach to selecting a regimen for patients with diabetes who want to improve their insulin resistance and glucose metabolism, Dr. Cspedes says.

Intermittent fasting isnt perfect, and there are some side effects to consider.

If youre interested in trying intermittent fasting to better manage your diabetes, its important to talk to your doctor first, Dr. Cspedes says. They may have some concerns you havent thought of, and may even need to adjust your medication.

Its also important to think about what youre eating during a feeding window. In general, we recommend that patients eat a healthy diet, which will improve their cardiometabolic risks, Dr. Cspedes says. This includes increasing intake of fresh foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and complex carbohydrates and minimizing highly processed foods or simple carbohydrates.

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The quality of your calories matters too, Dr. Cspedes says. A person with diabetes should also take into consideration the amount of carbohydrates being consumed in the diet, she says. Generally, eating fewer than about 150 grams of carbohydrates in a day will improve blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, and help with weight loss.

Complex carbohydrates with a higher fiber content, like using cauliflower instead of white rice, are better options since these are absorbed more slowly and lead to less glucose excursions, Dr. Cspedes says. Given that youll probably be ready to eat as soon as your feeding window starts, its important to plan ahead to make sure you have quality food ready to go once your fasting period is over.

Finally, youll want to create eating and fasting windows that work best for your diabetes management. Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day for people with diabetes, Dr. Schutta says (your body is better able to process glucose when youre up and moving). But youll want to make sure youre actually hungry in the morning and not still full from a huge dinner you ate. "Patients have to figure out a way to restrict food after dinner and make sure that they eat breakfast every day, Dr. Schutta says.

The bottom line: If youre interested in trying out intermittent fasting to help manage your diabetes, talk to your doctor first. They should be able to offer up personalized advice to help steer you in the right direction.

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Intermittent Fasting And Diabetes - Is It Safe, How Do You Do It? - Women's Health

NEW YORK/ROME, 28 January 2021 More than 39 billion in-school meals have been missed globally since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic due to school closures, according to a new report released today by the UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti and the World Food Programme (WFP).

COVID-19: Missing More Than a Classroom notes that 370 million children worldwide many of whom are reliant on school meals as a key source of their daily nutrition have missed 40 per cent of in-school meals, on average, since COVID-19 restrictions shuttered classrooms.

Despite clear evidence that schools are not primary drivers of COVID-19 infections, millions of children are facing school closures around the world, said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. Children who depend on schools for their daily meals are not only losing out on an education but also on a reliable source of nutrition. As we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and await vaccine distribution, we must prioritize the reopening of schools and take action to make them as safe as possible, including through renewed investments in proven infection prevention measures like clean water and soap in every school around the world.

Latest estimates show that 24 million schoolchildren are at risk of dropping out of school due to the pandemic reversing progress made in school enrolment in recent decades. School feeding programmes can provide incentives for the most vulnerable children to return to school.

Missing out on nutritious school meals is jeopardizing the futures of millions of the worlds poorest children. We risk losing a whole generation, said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. We must support governments to safely reopen schools and start feeding these children again. For many, the nutritious meal they get in school is the only food they will receive all day.

During the pandemic, there has been a 30 per cent overall reduction in the coverage of essential nutrition services including school feeding, micronutrient supplementation, and nutrition promotion programmes in low- and middle-income countries, as well as programmes for the treatment of severe malnutrition in children. During nationwide lockdowns in some countries, all school feeding programmes were cancelled.

Global data on the overall impact of school closures on childrens nutrition is limited. However, country-level studies, previous knowledge of the impact of crises on food security and nutrition, and existing nutrition deficits among school-age children and adolescents are cause for significant concern, the report says.

Pre-pandemic survey data from 68 countries show that, before COVID-19 hit, around 50 per cent of children aged 13 to 17 years-old reported feelings of hunger. Further data from 17 countries showed that, in some countries, up to two thirds of adolescents aged 1519 were underweight. And more than half of adolescent girls in South Asia were anaemic.

The worst-hit areas during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa saw rising food insecurity in countries already facing high levels of malnutrition. This same trend has already been seen in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic including in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Schools meals are not only vital in ensuring childrens nutrition, growth and development, they also provide a strong incentive for children especially girls and those from the poorest and most marginalized communities to return to school once restrictions are lifted. The longer children are out of school, the greater the risk that they will drop out of education altogether. Girls face the added risk of forced transactional sex or early marriage.

WFP has been supporting governments to adapt their school meals programmes during school closures. The report notes that more than 70 countries have delivered take-home rations, cash transfers or food vouchers, providing a valuable, interim solution for millions of children. In the first 9 months of 2020, more than 13 million schoolchildren received WFP school-based support as compared to 17.3 million the previous year.

Since the start of the pandemic, UNICEF has supported national governments to maintain the continuity of nutrition services for school-age children and adolescents. In 2020, nearly 25 million school-age children and adolescents benefitted from programmes for the prevention of anaemia. Tailored to context, most of these programmes combined nutrition education and counselling, supplementation with iron and other essential micronutrients and deworming prophylaxis.

UNICEF and WFP are urging governments to prioritise schools for reopening while making sure that the health, food and nutritional needs of children are met through comprehensive, high-quality school feeding programmes.

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Nutrition crisis looms as more than 39 billion in-school meals missed since start of pandemic UNICEF and WFP - UNICEF

After weeks of advisories issued by several state governments to warn about the Bird Flu scare, FSSAI has come up with a quick 10-point guideline to ensure safe and hygienic consumption of chicken and eggs. The sudden cullings of thousands of birds in various parts of the country, turned out to be yet another threat amidst the ongoing pandemic. The threat around bird flu led to several myths and this guideline by FSSAI aims to dissolve the emerging dilemma around eating eggs or chicken amidst the scare. According to a guideline issued by WHO, consumption of properly cleaned and cooked chicken and eggs at a minimum temperature 70 degrees Celsius was deemed safe for consumption. However, there were several other things that often confuse you about the consumption of poultry. Here are the 10 safety measures released by FSSAI on their official website:1. Do not eat half-boiled eggs

2. Do not eat undercooked chicken

3. Avoid direct contact with birds in the infected areas

4. Avoid touching dead birds with bare hands

5. Do not keep raw meat in open

6. No direct contact with raw meat

7. Use a mask and gloves at the time of handling raw chicken

8. Wash hands frequently

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FSSAI suggests 10 ways to safely eat eggs and chicken during bird flu - Times of India

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The Abundant Harvest feeds the body, nourishes the soul, and transforms the community. Doubling as a brick and mortar space, the nonprofit sells delicious meals to customers as well as feeds community members in need. In response to the pandemic, they currently feed more than eight hundred families every week through their food pantry.

As part of St. Isidore Episcopal, a 4-year-old church community in Spring, Abundant Harvest works to meet the physical needs of individuals as well as the spiritual. Families can sign up to receive one custom food package a week, which will be safely delivered to their car. Special items for those with babies, pets, or dietary restrictions are accommodated.

This building was not based on the traditional charitable model where you do good, and then ask people for money or charitable donations to support that good, said Executive Director, Jeremy L. Hall. It's actually an economic engine, providing economic value to the community, he said.

Every meal bought from The Abundant Harvest Kitchen feeds a local family. The organization also provides jobs, training, and connects individuals to needed resources, such as veteran services, legal aid, free or reduced cost programs, behavioral health clinics, and homeless prevention. Entrepreneurs or chefs looking for a commercial kitchen are welcome to use theirs, and groups in search of a place to host events are able to rent out the space.

In 2020 alone, The Abundant Harvest: Served 10,111 free meals to our community including at-risk youth and veterans Helped 29,000+ households receive resources including food, hot meals, holiday assistance, and pastoral care Distributed 1,251,187 pounds of food to families in our community Logged 31,324 volunteer hours given to transform our community

We run on volunteer horsepower, Hall said, and opportunities to serve are plenty. Areas of need include packaging and delivering food, hosting the coffee shop, assisting with the food pantry, and cooking meals. Various time slots throughout the week make it easy to find an option that fits any schedule. Click here for more volunteer info!

Stop by for a delicious lunch, order a meal to go online, or allow them to cater your next special occasion!

Food Pantry Hours Tuesday and Thursday: 4:00 - 7:00pm by appointment only Tuesday and Thursday: 6:00 - 7:00pm with no appointment Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Sunday: closed

Meals To Go Pick Up Hours Tuesday - Thursday: 11:00am-6:00pm Please order online at least 2 hours before pick up

Coffee Shop Hours Monday - Thursday: 10:00am-3:00pm

Community Lunch Monday-Thursday: 11:30am-1:00pm

Visit their website for more info!

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Every Meal Purchased From The Abundant Harvest Feeds a Local Family in Need - Woodlands Online

IF you started the year with plans to make some lifestyle changes, but are struggling to stay inspired as February looms into sight, a nutrition fair being run by University of Chester students might be just what the doctor ordered.

From 11am to 12.30pm on Wednesday, February 3, students from the universitys department of clinical sciences and nutrition will be encouraging visitors to forget the fads and discover different ways to stay healthy at the virtual Nutrition Fair 2021.

Streaming live over Microsoft Teams, the event will feature a variety of stands where human nutrition and nutrition and dietetic students will offer food and drink advice, host interactive games and share top tips to encourage people to think about ways they can lead a healthier lifestyle.

Students with the most creative and inspiring stall will also be presented with the innovation prize, sponsored by Morning Foods.

Stalls at the Nutrition Fair 2021 will include:

The Gut Girls aimed at promoting a diverse microbiota in adults

Alternative Five a Day helping families with young children from low income households achieve their five a day, using alternatives to fresh fruit and vegetables

Cut the Sweet Stuff raising awareness of the high sugar content in drinks that are often consumed by children

Alcohol Awareness educating people on the nutrient content of alcoholic drinks and the effects this can have on health

Food for thought: Are we sufficiently feeding our brains? Educating the public on the importance of Omega-3 in relation to brain function

Wonderful Weaning providing education and information around safe weaning methods through a range of interactive activities, cooking sessions and discussions

Healthy Hearts raising awareness of cardiovascular disease

No Dairy, No Problem helping people seeking dairy alternatives to make educated decisions on what to buy

Lean Greens sharing information on the importance of adequate protein intake and benefits of plant-based protein sources

Think Globally, Act Locally educating visitors about the sustainability of their diet, where their food comes from, and the impact this has on the environment

Snack Smart + Regular Exercise = Improve Health hosting activities and demonstrations to help families make quick and easy healthy snacks

Cooking for One sharing resources to help students cook a nutritionally balanced diet with minimal waste and cost

Nutrition MythBusters helping the public to identify evidence-based dietary information and discard unreliable food and nutrition advice

Healthy Packed Lunches supporting parents in making healthy packed lunches with innovative ideas, recipes and games.

Sena Dunne, lecturer in nutrition and health, said: The students have pulled out all the stops to deliver the Nutrition Fair 2021 in this extraordinary year and should be very proud of themselves. Theyre addressing some fundamental health, wellbeing and environmental issues and concerns, which especially relate to todays society, illnesses and diseases. Theyve made the science fun and informative, practical and achievable for everyone. Using digital technology to deliver health interventions is an emerging tool and our students are really embracing this method of blended learning.

It has never been more important for us to think about our health and wellbeing and we really hope that visitors to this online event will be inspired and take away some practical ideas that can make them some positive changes to their health and the world around them.

Find out about more about whats in store, and to join the virtual stall via Teams head to https://events.chester.ac.uk/nutritionfair/ where you can also view flyers and videos from the stall holders.

For more information about the Nutrition Fair 2021, contact the Department of Clinical Sciences and Nutrition by e-mail: clinicalsciences@chester.ac.uk or call 01244 513090.

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University of Chester students to host virtual nutrition fair - The Chester Standard

With about 26 million cases of COVID-19 in America, along with new highly transmissible strains found in Florida, some still enjoy attending local jam-packed events and going to the bars and restaurants unmasked.

Dr. Jaclyn Nadler, of CoastalMED in Englewood, participated in a recent question-and-answer session with The Daily Sun about this virus and precautions.

Can COVID-19 spread in a crowd of people in a covered, open-air venue?

Absolutely, particularly if people arent social distancing or wearing appropriate type masks fully covering their mouths and noses. Although spread of COVID-19 is less with outdoor venues, it is primarily the close, unprotected contact that leads to infection spread.

Where is it safe right now to watch a concert or be in a crowd?

To be honest, now it not the time to be participating in any crowded activities. Our disease spread and hospitalizations are at all-time highs and this is leading to new variants, which are more transmissible and resistant strains emerging. The safest place to watch a concert would be in your living room or in a car at an outdoor theater.

How can you stay safe in any crowded environment?

If someone chooses to participate in a crowded event, they just need to understand the risks, and the most appropriate way to lower risks for contracting or transmitting COVID-19 would be to wear their appropriate mask CORRECTLY, maintain social distancing efforts and try to limit being around those in your immediate household (bubble). The main concern I have, is when people congregate, their defenses go down, they may remove their mask to talk, drink or eat, and this is how they risk becoming infected. Consistent and appropriate mask wearing is the key.

Bars dont seem to enforce or encourage mask wearing. Is it safe to sit on a bar stool for hours and have drinks with strangers?

No, this is a very risky behavior and perpetuates virus spread.

Even if youve gotten the vaccine should you still be wearing a mask?

Yes, until we have appropriate herd immunity, mask wearing and social distancing are advised. Although the vaccine if very effective, time will tell if it will continue to work against more contagious variants. Early data suggests we may be needing boosters vaccines to help against these variants and its important to remember that adequate immunity provided takes up to about seven-10 days after the second dose for the vaccines full effect.

Not enough is explained about a super spreader when it comes to COVID-19. What is a super spreader?

You can have a super- spreader individual, which is typically someone with no or rather mild symptoms who continues to spread the virus through the community by not following masking and social distancing recommendations and comes into contact with a large amount of individuals.

You also have super-spreader events, again where large groups of people have close unprotected contact, are eating, drinking and conversing and unknowingly are infected and transmitting the virus to those around them.

Is there more evidence that even people who have little symptoms of COVID-19 are having lung issues or any longer-term impacts than what was known one year ago?

Yes, a recent study in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society has shown that some individuals with rather mild symptoms are experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath with minimal exertion that may linger weeks to months after illness. These are just some of the longer-term health issues still being evaluated.

Should people be cautious in large crowds?

I really want to impress upon the public, that even though COVID-19 statistics in the news can seem overwhelming and rather dismal, we do have a choice to lower the disease spread in our communities by adhering to health recommendation standards. The data is clear that wearing masks lowers transmission, but to get the full effectiveness we need to ensure we are wearing a quality-grade mask that is either a surgical/procedure type mask, a multi-layer tight woven cloth mask or consider double-masking, masks with valves should NOT be used and most important is to not take the mask off for talking, drinking or eating, unless you are adequately distanced from other individuals. Consistency is key.

Jaclyn Nadler is a board-certified physician who trained at University of Miami School of Medicine and completed internal medicine residency at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

Email: elaine.allen@yoursun.com

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What is a super spreader and is it safe to go to outdoor events? - yoursun.com

In 2019, 135 million people in 55 countries were in food crises or worse, and 2 billion people did not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. COVID-19 has exacerbated these hardships and may result in an additional 121 million people facing acute food insecurity by the end of 2020. Further, since the beginning of the pandemic, an estimated 1.6 billion learners in 199 countries worldwide were affected by school closures, with nearly 370 million children not receiving a school meal in 150 countries.

The paper presents the evidence on the potential negative short-term and long-term effects of school meal scheme disruption during Covid-19 globally. It shows how vulnerable the children participating in these schemes are, how coping and mitigation measures are often only short-term solutions, and how prioritizing school re-opening is critical. For instance, it highlights how girls are at greater risk of not being in school or of being taken out of school early, which may lead to poor nutrition and health for themselves and their children. However, well-designed school feeding programmes have been shown to enable catch-up from early growth failure and other negative shocks. As such, once schools re-open, school meal schemes can help address the deprivation that children have experienced during the closures and provide an incentive for parents to send and keep their children, especially girls, in school.

Read the full report

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Missing More Than a Classroom. The impact of school closures on children's nutrition - World - ReliefWeb

Everyone loves a bright, white smile, but most people dont have the brilliant teeth made popular by Hollywood.

At-home whitening products such as strips and gels, or dental office procedures, such as chairside bleaching, are some of the ways people brighten teeth and reduce surface stains.

No matter what type of tooth whitening process you use, it wont last forever. At-home products may give minimal-to-great results that last for a few months. Professional dental procedures may extend that time up to 2-3 years.

Read on to learn the effects of whitening procedures and products to consider. Well also let you know how long you can expect them to last and what you can do to prolong tooth whitening.

The length of time you can expect tooth whitening to last is based upon the type of whitener youre using. Your lifestyle habits also have an effect.

Tooth whitening treatments are designed to reduce stains, not repel them. If you have good oral habits and keep your teeth clean, at-home products and dental procedures will last longer.

Keep in mind that the degree and type of tooth discoloration or stain you have matters. There are two types of tooth stains:

Here are some of the most popular whitening treatments and how long they last.

If you use a whitening toothpaste twice daily, it may take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks before you see any results. Users say these results can last for up to 3 or 4 months.

Whitening toothpaste can be used every day or several times a week. They contain ingredients that polish or whiten teeth, such as:

Toothpastes that only contain abrasives tackle surface stains and cant change the internal color of teeth. Those that contain peroxide can whiten teeth and remove stains to varying degrees.

You may be able to prolong these effects if you continue to use whitening toothpaste. But some people are sensitive to the ingredients and find that their gums or teeth become uncomfortable with prolonged use. Many toothpastes containing abrasives are also not meant for long-term use.

Long-term use of whitening toothpaste may thin tooth enamel. If you plan to use whitening toothpaste long term, try alternating with a toothpaste designed to protect and strengthen enamel.

It may take up to 3 months before you see any effect from a whitening mouthwash.

Whitening mouthwashes usually contain hydrogen peroxide. You can use a whitening mouthwash daily, to help remove small degrees of surface staining.

Whitening mouthwash may be most effective when used to prolong the effect of other treatments, such as in-office whitening or whitening strips. When used alone, its effects are not dramatic, or long-lasting.

Whitening strips vary in the number of treatments needed before you see results. Some strips provide superior results, which can last for up to 6 months.

Whitening strips are one of the most effective over-the-counter treatments for whitening teeth at home. Some brands are easier to use and more effective than others. Some use LED accelerator lights to provide more intense stain removal.

Whitening strips use peroxide to bleach teeth and remove stains. When used incorrectly or too often, they may be uncomfortable or harmful to teeth.

When used correctly, high-quality brands of whitening strips can remove both extrinsic and mild intrinsic stains, by bleaching teeth to make them whiter in color.

Whitening pens take from 2 days up to a week. They provide minimal results that are usually not long-lasting.

Whitening pens are small, plastic tubes containing whitening gel that are transportable and used for spot stain removal. The gel washes away easily, so you cant eat, drink, or rinse your teeth for about an hour after application.

You should start seeing results from a whitening gel tray in about a week, with maximum results seen in 2 to 4 weeks time. The amount of whitening you see will vary based on the strength of the peroxide used and length of time worn.

When combined with proper oral hygiene, at-home, dentist-supervised whitening gel trays should give you long lasting results of a year or longer.

Your dentist can fit your mouth for a custom-made tray that you fill with gel whitener at home. The whitener supplied by your dentist is stronger than the type used in over-the-counter products.

Your dentist will supervise this treatment and guide you as to how long and how often you should use it. In some instances, you may need to keep the tray on your teeth for several hours or overnight daily, for a week or longer.

If you maintain good oral hygiene, a chairside (or in-office) procedure should provide long-lasting results for 1 to 3 years.

This procedure is done in your dentists office. It usually requires only one visit.

This procedure uses a strong bleaching agent, such as highly-concentrated hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Heat or light may also be used, to further accelerate the bleaching agent.

The active ingredients in tooth whiteners can cause sensitivity to occur in teeth and gums. This is typically not long lasting. Some people find that long-term use of any whitener with peroxide or abrasives is uncomfortable.

There is also the potential for more serious side effects, including:

Some users report tooth pain during or after whitening. If you experience pain, burning, or extreme sensitivity, call your dentist.

In some instances, the whitener may get into a cavity or cracked tooth, causing significant pain and a necessary dentist visit.

Teeth can become yellow or gray over time due to many factors:

Keeping teeth clean and flossed will not only help to prevent cavities and gingivitis but also help keep teeth their whitest.

What you eat and drink can stain your teeth, particularly if you dont brush regularly. Some common offenders are:

If you enjoy these regularly, make sure to brush, floss, and rinse often.

Chewing on sugar-free gum, parsley, or mint can also help clean your mouth by stimulating the flow of saliva.

There is a wide range of at-home and in-office tooth whitening products and procedures.

At-home treatments such as whitening toothpaste, rinses, and pens do not last very long, but may help to prolong the benefits of other, more effective whitening treatments.

White strips are the most effective over-the-counter whitening treatment you can use without a dentists supervision.

At-home gel trays that are customized to fit your mouth by your dentist and chairside whitening provide the longest-lasting whitening.

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How Long Does Teeth Whitening Last? Duration, Side Effects, and More - Healthline