Want Whiter Teeth? Avoid These Foods

For many of us, yellow teeth can make us feel self-conscious. Fortunately, with the help the Albuquerque general dental and cosmetic dentistry experts at Heflin Family Dentistry, you can have the brighter, whiter smile you’ve always dreamed of! After you’ve had your teeth cleaned and whitened, you can maintain those pearly whites with regular visits to the dentist and by avoiding these foods!

1. Cola, Coffee, and Tea
Want to prevent discolored teeth? Stop sipping on teas, colas, and coffee beverages. Over time, these three are hugely responsible for staining your pearly whites into a dull grayish-brown. Make it a habit to regularly swap water for cola, coffee, and tea. Can’t skip your morning coffee? Drink water after your coffee to help minimize the damage, and remember to brush at least twice a day!

2. Red Sauces
Just as marinara can stain your white shirt, it can also discolor your teeth. If it’s hard to pass on spaghetti and tomato sauce, mitigate the damage by drinking seltzer water with your meal. The effervescence can help prevent the sauce from lingering on your teeth and leading to set-in stains.

3. Sports Drinks
Surprisingly, sports drinks that are aimed at post-workout refueling can wreak havoc on your teeth. These beverages tend to be high in citric acid, which contributes to the erosion of the enamel on your teeth. As the enamel wears away, your teeth become more susceptible to staining.

4. Dark Fruits
Despite the health bonus from antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and pomegranates, these dark fruits can stain your teeth. You can avoid eating these fruits (and the juices made from them) or clean your teeth after consuming. After eating dark fruits, finish your snack with strawberries — they’re actually great for your smile and naturally whiten your teeth!

5. Sugary Sweets
Sweets don’t just cause decay, they also can cause yellowing and greyish stains on your teeth! Potato chips, hard candy, and cookies can cause bacteria to form, which you always want to avoid. The resulting bacteria can release acids that deteriorate your enamel and cause tooth decay. A surprise solution is to eat a few slices of apple after sweets. The enzymes in the apple have a cleansing effect on the surface of your teeth, but of course, brushing afterwards is the best practice.

While changes in your diet can help minimize discoloration of your teeth, the best defense is proper oral hygiene! Come see us at Heflin Family Dentistry in Albuquerque for your bi-annual examination and dental cleaning. You’ll be happy you did!