5 Foods to Avoid if You Want a Brighter Smile

Are you tired of stained teeth? Avoid these five things if you want to start your journey to a whiter and brighter smile.

There are plenty of teeth-whitening methods you can try when you want a brighter smile. You can go in for an in-office whitening or try a more natural way at home.

One simple strategy is avoiding certain types of foods.

So what should you have less of if you want to keep your pearly whites as radiant as possible? Read on to discover the five foods you’ll want to avoid for a brighter smile.

1. Berries

Most people think of berries as a healthy food that can only help your body, not hurt it. However, berries don’t just provide you with antioxidants. They can also stain your teeth.

The berries that are most likely to lead to staining are blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, and raspberries.

These stains can happen whether the berries are eaten as whole pieces of fruit, used as a jelly, or drunk in juice or a smoothie. This discoloration is a result of the berries’ deep hue.

If you can’t give up berries, be sure to drink water immediately after you eat them. This will help prevent staining and keep your teeth bright and shiny.

2. Pickles

Whether they are sweet or sour, pickles can be very harmful to your teeth.

The main problem is that all pickled foods use vinegar, which is highly acidic. Most people understand that sugar can cause damage to their teeth, but acid is just as bad.

Acid can permanently erode teeth enamel. The less enamel your teeth have, the more susceptible they are to major dental problems.

Next time you get a hamburger or a sandwich, you might want to ask for one without pickles.

3. Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar can be beneficial for those trying to get in better shape. However, those weight-loss benefits may also come with potential dental problems.

Balsamic vinegar’s dark color can easily stain your teeth. Plus, as mentioned above, vinegar contains a great deal of acid, which can harm your choppers as well.

Here’s one helpful fact to keep in mind, though. If you are using balsamic vinegar on a salad, the lettuce you’re eating should help remove some of the vinegar’s staining.

4. Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce is not good for your teeth for multiple reasons. If you want to have a brighter smile, you are going to want to stay away from most pasta dishes.

Tomato sauce’s acidity can break down your teeth’s enamel, and its bright red color can easily stain your teeth.

Plus, tomatoes tend to get caught in and cling to your teeth when you eat them.

5. Gummy Worms and Gummy Bears

The sugar in gummy worms and gummy bears is always a threat to healthy teeth.

However, this type of candy can be even more problematic if the gummies you eat are sour, because you’ll have both sugar and acid causing harm to your teeth.

Plus, residue from sticky candy like gummy worms and gummy bears usually sticks to your teeth for a long time after you eat it.

Moving Forward With Your Brighter Smile

Avoiding these five foods is all but guaranteed to give you a brighter smile. In their place, try consuming foods that are high in calcium to help make your teeth stronger.

Your teeth will look whiter and feel cleaner. You’ll be the happiest, healthiest, and most confident version of yourself.

Do you need to make an appointment for an upcoming cleaning, filling, or whitening? Have any other questions or concerns? If so, please contact us so we can assist you!