If you decide to have your teeth whitened, you should be aware that teeth whitening is not permanent. Touch-ups will be needed from time to time to retain the brightness of your teeth. However, there are ways to keep the sparkle in your smile for longer.
Believe it or not, one of the main ways to protect the whiteness of your smile from fading is watching what you eat.
Many of the foods and beverages that can stain the smile have intense color pigments that can attach to the enamel—the white, outer part of the tooth. Acidic and tannin-rich foods and beverages are also culprits.
If you want to retain the beautiful radiance of your smile, stay away from the following foods and beverages:
– White and red wine
– Sports drinks
– Black teas and coffee
– Carbonated drinks (both light and dark-colored sodas)
– Foods with a strong pigment
– Berries
– Curry, tomato, and soy sauces
Those who avoid staining foods and beverages may be able to wait a full year, or even longer, before having to get another bleaching treatment or a touch-up. On the other hand, people who expose their teeth to the above foods and beverages may notice their bright smile fading in as little as a month.
Just as there are foods that can stain the teeth, there are foods that can fight staining.
Eating dark green vegetables (like broccoli, spinach, or kale) at the beginning of a meal will create a protective film over the teeth that can help shield them from staining foods. Other fruits and vegetables that fight staining include carrots, celery, cauliflower, and apples.
To combat acidic foods, drink a glass of milk or eat hard cheese. These can both neutralize acid and strengthen your pearly whites!
Dr. Rob Holdridge and our team in Wheaton, Illinois, are more than happy to give you further advice on keeping your pearly whites bright and radiant! We invite you to contact our office at 630-668-3423 today to schedule your next visit with our dentist. We look forward to your call!
