Foods and Drinks to Avoid After Your Professional Teeth Whitening

At A Caring Dental Group, we want you to have both excellent oral health and to feel fantastic about your smile. When you feel great about your smile, you tend to smile more, and that can be powerful. Dr. Benedict Kim and his staff offer teeth whitening and other cosmetic dentistry services that help you achieve a sparkling smile you’re happy to show off. 

Teeth whitening represents an investment in yourself, and following your treatment, you can take some steps to protect that investment by extending your results for as long as possible. That may mean changing some habits. 

The good news is that it’s fairly easy to maintain your beautifully whitened smile. Follow the simple steps in this post and enjoy your results for years. 

Foods with deep pigmentation

Many factors can contribute to discoloration of your teeth, but pigmented foods and drinks are a common issue. Although your teeth look perfectly smooth, they have tiny dips, divots, pits, and craters all over them. The pigments from some foods get trapped and cause staining. 

The list of deeply pigmented foods is long and includes everything from coffee to blueberry pie. Once you’ve made the investment in teeth whitening, you should avoid or limit the following foods: 

• Coffee and tea
• Dark-colored sauces
• Red wine
• Berries, especially blueberries or blackberries
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Purple cabbage
• Carrots
• Dark chocolate

If a food is likely to leave a stain on a white shirt, it’s probably likely to stain your teeth. If this list of foods contains items you can’t live without, consider using a straw to drink staining beverages or commit rinsing your mouth as soon as you finish your meal.

Foods with high acid content

The reason professional teeth whitening works better than over-the-counter options is that Dr. Kim uses a stronger whitening solution. The solution penetrates deep stains on your enamel, but it also slightly weakens your teeth. 

Acidic foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, pickles, and processed meats can further weaken your enamel and increase tooth sensitivity. It’s best to avoid those kinds of foods, or to opt for them rarely.

Artificial dyes in beverages, foods, and candies

Naturally pigmented foods like dark-colored berries aren’t the only threat to your smile. Artificially dyed foods like popsicles, candy, and sports drinks can lead to discoloration as well. 

What you can do to keep your smile bright

Along with adjusting your diet, you can take some additional steps to keep your teeth looking fantastic. For example, use a gentle whitening toothpaste and brush twice daily. Floss every day, and use mouthwash. If you smoke, stop. 

If you’d prefer to use an at-home whitening product to extend your treatment, we encourage you to discuss it with Dr. Kim first. Having regular checkups, and perhaps getting touch-ups in our office or with a customized professional-grade home kit can be powerful ways to keep your teeth looking good. 

If you’d like to learn more about professional teeth whitening, schedule an appointment at A Caring Dental Group. We’re always happy to answer your questions and discuss how you can get the smile you’ve always dreamed of.