You’ve noticed your teeth have been looking a little yellow recently. You want to stop them from getting even darker. You’ve tried using teeth-whitening kits from the grocery store, but they don’t work, and they make your teeth sensitive. A dentist near Union City discusses 5 foods to avoid to keep your teeth white.
To Keep Your Teeth White, Avoid These 5 Foods
Lots of foods and drinks can stain your teeth over time, leaving them yellow instead of white. To keep your teeth healthy and bright, limit or avoid these 5 foods:
- The darker the coffee, the more likely it is to stain your teeth. Even if you only have one or two cups a day, it can still do damage. You can prevent some staining by adding a little milk to your coffee, which will lighten its color and give you a healthy dose of calcium, strengthening your teeth.
- Soda is bad for your whole body, but especially your teeth. It coats your teeth in artificial sugar and acid, which can damage your enamel. Dark-colored sodas are more likely to stain. Even by drinking clear soda, you can’t avoid the sugar or acid. It’s better to just steer clear of soda in general.
- Many people switch from coffee or soda to tea as a healthier way to fuel a caffeine addiction. However, tea is full of tannins, which can stain your teeth. The darker the tea, the more likely it is to stain. Choose green or white over black teas to minimize staining.
- Often regarded as a “superfood,” blueberries are chock full of vitamins and antioxidants you need. However, they can easily stain teeth. A way to prevent this is by swishing your mouth with water after eating a handful of blueberries. This removes the staining liquid from your teeth.
- Like blueberries, beets are good for you, but can stain teeth. You’ve probably seen how they can stain your hands or your cutting board. Since their staining power is more potent that that of blueberries, swishing water in your mouth won’t be enough. Brushing your teeth within an hour of eating is the best way to prevent stains.
Visiting Your Dentist Can Keep Your Teeth White Too
Regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups are the best way you can care for your teeth and keep them white. If that isn’t enough, you can get teeth whitening near Union City for extra results!
Instead of getting an unreliable whitening treatment from the store, your dentist has a take-home treatment! You’ll bring home customized whitening trays with a bleaching solution that you wear for half an hour a day. Your dentist will also prescribe a high-fluoride toothpaste that will reduce sensitivity during the whitening process. You’ll see results in just two weeks! If you stay away from the foods in this list, your smile can stay white and healthy for years!
About the Author
Dr. Dinesh Patel is the proud owner of Summit Family Dentistry in Waterford, PA. He believes in getting to know patients on a personal level in order to determine which treatment is right for them. He is an expert in cosmetic dentistry, including teeth whitening. For more information on how Dr. Patel can give you the smile you want, click here to contact him, or call him at (814)-923-4510.