You’re unlikely to find one person who wishes their teeth were less white. As a skilled cosmetic dentistry practice, our Amberly Dental team offers a variety of professional teeth whitening options, and we’d be happy to help you enhance your smile’s natural beauty. However, for patients with minimal tooth discoloration, making minor dietary changes may be enough to deliver brighter smiles. You might have heard the term “mouth-body connect” before, so it will come as no surprise to you that many of the foods that are bad for teeth are bad for the whole body. Making healthier eating choices could result in a brighter smile and a healthier you.
Staining Foods
As is the case with most healthy living choices, any foods are fine in moderation, but the types of food that typically lead to significant staining are:
- Sugary – high sugar foods not only contribute to deep set staining, but increase the risk for tooth decay as well. Avoid a diet high in sugary candies, cakes, or sodas to maintain a whiter smile, and better overall health!
- Acidic – citrus fruits, tomatoes, and sodas are all highly acidic. This causes wear to the tooth enamel that reveals the yellow-colored dentin layer below giving teeth a yellow coloring.
- Pigment Rich – dark colored berries (blackberries, blueberries, and pomegranates), coffee, tea, and wine are all highly pigmented. The coloring of these foods and beverages can stain clothing and carpeting, so it’s likely no surprise to hear they can also stain teeth.
Stain Removers
It’s not all bad news. Some of your favorite foods are likely to improve your teeth. Some of the best types of foods for teeth include:
- Fibrous – high-fiber fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, carrots, and broccoli are great for keeping teeth healthy. The grainy fibers provide gentle abrasion that removes bacteria and plaque from the surface of teeth preventing stains.
- Malic Acid – strawberries are extremely high in malic acid, an effective, natural teeth whitening product. Placing mashed strawberries on the surface of teeth for five to ten minutes each day is proven to lighten tooth coloring.
- Dairy – cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products are alkaline foods with lots of protein and calcium. All of which is great news for your teeth. The high pH level neutralizes acidic bacteria lowering the risk for cavities and enamel erosion that discolors teeth. Additionally, the protein and calcium in dairy products fortifies tooth enamel keeping teeth strong, healthy, and brilliantly white.
Find Out More
Want to find out more about great foods and beverages for teeth? Give the team at Amberly Dental a call. We’re happy to help patients improve oral and overall health anyway we can. Whether your teeth will benefit from making dietary changes, using professional teeth whitening products, or cosmetic treatments like bonding or porcelain veneers, our Waverly, NE dental team has you covered.