Here’s What to Avoid (and What to Do) To Keep Your Teeth Bright

Are you happy with the current shade of your teeth?

Unfortunately, many of us aren’t! Our teeth can easily yellow and stain over time… leading to a not-so-flattering dental aesthetic. But if your goal is to preserve your natural tooth shade, or you’ve just had a whitening treatment and want to ensure your results last as long as possible… it’s smart to avoid certain stain-causing foods when you can.

Here are some of the foods and substances known to dull a white smile:

1. Certain drinks
   Unfortunate but true; coffee and tea drinkers may have to put up with a less-than-white smile… especially if they consume these drinks regularly.Colas and fruit juices are also notorious for staining the teeth. It’s best to avoid sipping from these sugary refreshments anyway – they only encourage tooth decay and cavities like no other! Sweet liquids find their way to every nook and cranny in the mouth, where they sit and produce decay-causing acids with bacteria in the mouth.Lastly, many people may know about red wine’s potential to discolour the teeth… but they may assume this not be the case for white wine. Alas, both of these alcoholic beverages are teeth staining culprits! Sigh.
2. Balsamic & Soy
   Certain dark liquids such as balsamic vinegar and soy sauce may be wonderful and flavourful food additives, but these too can unfortunately contribute to teeth discolouration.
3. Berries
   The dark juices emitted from berries such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries definitely have the ability to dull the brightness of your smile. Try to reduce the amount of time these berries stay in your mouth when you do consume them.
4. Curry
   Beware: the powerful colour of curry can discolour pearly whites! Swish some water around in your mouth after enjoying this Indian spice (or any stain-causing substance, for that matter) to help preserve a vibrant smile.

If you’re not so down with avoiding these foods and are interested in a quick and effective teeth whitening solution, just give our Hamilton dentist a call! We offer a teeth whitening treatment that can give you incredible results.