The Worst Foods for White Teeth

Spring cleaning is not just for clearing out your home it’s a time to spruce up many areas of your life. This spring, don’t forget to clean up your smile! To do this, there are certain beverages and foods to avoid when eating and drinking. Read up on some of these stain-causing foods and drinks to keep your smile white and healthy!

Italian Dishes (pasta sauce)

The tomatoes in pasta sauce can leave your teeth vulnerable to staining. Tomato sauce is very acidic and the bright red hue can stain your pearly whites. Colgate.com states that eating a salad or broccoli before your pasta meal will create a protective film on your teeth. So before you eat your main course, have some dark greens or a salad.

Curry

Curry is commonly found in Indian food and other exotic dishes. Its deep pigmentation can cause teeth to yellow over time, so again, eat some greens before your exotic dishes. Milk, which will also counteract the spiciness found in many curry dishes, is another protective choice for your teeth.

Berries

Berries provide great health benefits for your body, but they also stain your teeth! The deep hues found in blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and cranberries are the main culprit of staining your teeth. The methods in which you eat them (raw, in a smoothie, in desserts, etc.) all have the same potential staining effects. It is important to not let them linger in your mouth, so drink water or milk after having berries to help combat the staining effect.

Balsamic Vinegar

It may be a healthy alternative for a salad dressing, but its dark color is a bad choice for your teeth. If you don’t have the chance to brush after eating balsamic vinegar, eat some lettuce without dressing at the end of your salad to clean your teeth.

Drinks

As many of us know (no doubt from our mothers), a number of drinks are bad for the overall health of your teeth. Some may cause discoloration, some erode enamel, and some do both. Drinks to avoid or limit include:

• coffee
• tea
• soda
• sports drinks
• red and white wine
• all tea (including white)

Make sure to brush after drinking these or drink water to rinse your smile! It’s hard to cut all of those foods and drinks out of your life, and the truth is, you don’t need to. We suggest you limit yourself on your intake of these natural stainers and eat more smile cleaning foods: apples, carrots, cauliflower, celery, broccoli, kale, spinach, and other dark green veggies.