After having the teeth whitened, it’s important prevent them from staining and aiming to preserve the treatment results. One of the best measures to take is adjusting your diet to avoid foods and drinks that are likely to stain or cause sensitivity within the teeth.
The top 15 foods and beverages to avoid after your teeth whitened.
Certain foods can impact the whitening treatment through weakening or staining the teeth. The best practice is to avoid consuming any of the following for at least 48 hours after treatment:
-Eating foods containing curry powder, turmeric, and saffron.
These spices are water soluble, so the pigments still permeate the whitened enamel, so it’s important to avoid foods and sauces containing them.
-Avoid sauces like balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.
The pigments in balsamic vinegar and soy sauce are dark and can seep into the whitened tooth.
-Avoid sauces made with tomatoes.
Tomatoes are both full of pigment and acidic, so it can both weaken and stain the teeth.
-Beetroot can leave a pink or purple pigment on the teeth.
Beetroot contains betalains which are naturally occurring intense colours, it’s best to avoid eating any beetroot after treatment.
-Fruits and fruit juices such as dark berries can stain the teeth: blueberry, cranberries, pomegranate, blackberries, and cherries.
Fruits like blueberries and blackberries contain chromogens which similarly to betalains, are what cause pigment to naturally occur. These berries also contain natural acids which can weaken the teeth, reducing intake after treatment is the best option.
-Avoiding acidic fruits and fruit juices such as, lemon juice, pineapple juice, and orange juice.
The natural acids contained within these fruits can cause sensitivity as the enamel is not as strong after the whitening treatment.
-Pickled foods like pickled onions or pickles can weaken the teeth.
Pickled foods are high in acids due to the vinegar that’s used to pickle them.
-Tea
Tea contains tannins, a chemical which causes the dark pigment in tea. This can then permeate into the enamel which is has an increased porosity due to the process of bleaching them.
-Coffee
Similarly to tea, coffee also contain tannins which are known to stain the teeth. It’s best to avoid drinking it after treatment.
Red wine
-Red wine contains a concoction of natural chemical which result in is vivid colour. This includes chromogens, tannins and anthocyanins which are the natural pigment occurring in grapes. Wine is also acidic due its fermentation process.
-Hard boiled sweets/ lollipops with vivid pigments
Not only are sweets high in sugar, but some contain pigments that can stain the teeth and soft tissue.
-Soft drinks like Coca Cola and Dr Pepper, Lemonade and energy drinks.
A combination of the acids and sugars within soft drink can cause sensitivity and for those with darker pigments, can alter the colour of the whitened teeth.
-Purple cabbage
Purple cabbage is highly pigmented and when pickled can weaken the enamel further leading to sensitivity.
-Carrots
Alike beetroot, carrot is rich in strong pigments. Whitened teeth are more susceptible to taking in those pigments.
-Food containing highly pigmented dyes like Red 40.
These dyes are particularly concentrated pigments, and some are banned under UK law due to concerns around the health risks from consuming them.
If you feel as though you cannot adjust your diet entirely, limiting intake can reduce the amount of pigment the teeth are exposed to. Techniques like utilising straws, or directing food to the back teeth, can help limit the amount of pigment that reaches the recently whitened teeth.
If you are interested in getting your teeth whitened, feel free to contact us and we’d be happy to book you in for a consultation!