Once your professional teeth whitening treatment is complete, you’ll naturally want to show off your beautiful new grin to everyone you meet. But while you’re enjoying your enhanced smile, you also need to make sure you’re protecting it from anything that could undo the benefits of your cosmetic procedure. Here are 5 kinds of foods and beverages that you’ll need to avoid in order to maintain the results of teeth whitening.
1. Acidic Foods and Beverages
What do citrus fruits, tomatoes, and sodas all have in common? They are all acidic, meaning they can weaken your enamel. This can be a significant problem if your teeth have already been weakened due to the whitening process. As such, consuming anything acidic after teeth whitening could lead to problems, such as making your teeth more sensitive than normal. It’s best to cut acidic foods and beverages out of your diet until your teeth have gotten their regular strength back.
2. Dark-Colored Beverages
When you drink coffee and other dark-colored beverages on a daily basis, the pigments they contain can enter your teeth, causing stains to form. Naturally, if you want to keep your smile free from discoloration for as long as you can after a whitening treatment, you’ll want to avoid anything that can cause stains. In the event that you do decide to have a dark-colored beverage, drink it through a straw so that the liquid doesn’t touch your teeth as much.
3. Staining Sauces
There are many kinds of sauces that can potentially leave stains on your smile, such as tomato sauce and soy sauce. In general, if you wouldn’t want to get it on a white shirt, you’ll also want to keep it away from your teeth as much as possible, especially right after whitening.
4. Dyed Foods and Beverages
Foods that contain dyes are known to lead to tooth discoloration. Since your teeth will be more prone to staining than normal following a whitening treatment, you should stay away from dyes for a while. Dyes tend to be present in sports drinks as well as a variety of sugary treats.
5. Dark-Colored Fruits and Vegetables
Even certain fruits and vegetables can cause dental stains. Common examples include berries, grapes, carrots, and beets. Try to stick to alternatives that are less likely to affect the appearance of your grin, such as bananas.
If you speak to your dentist, they can give you further examples of stain-causing foods and beverages. They may also be able to give you a few suggestions for things you can eat and drink without having to worry about discoloration, thus prolonging the eye-catching results of your teeth whitening treatment.
About the Author
Dr. Vincent Votilla is a trusted dentist in the Lancaster community and has helped patients in the area take better care of their smiles for over three decades. His practice, Dentistry for Life, offers take-home and in-office whitening solutions for patients with dental stains. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Votilla, visit his website or call (717) 569-3911.