Healthy teeth are often stained teeth says Fort Worth dentist, Renee Corbitt DDS. Simple dietary changes reduce further discoloration and keep professionally whitened teeth at their sparkling best.
Do you want your teeth to look white and healthy? Have you recently had your teeth professionally whitened and want to keep your smile refreshed and looking young? Dr. Renee Corbitt, your Fort Worth dentist, advises her patients that certain foods stain tooth enamel. Used in moderation, these dietary choices can remain part of your life when balanced with healthy choices that actually improve the appearance and health of tooth enamel.
What foods should you avoid for whiter teeth?
In general, darkly or intensely colored foods–natural or processed–tend to stain tooth enamel. While tooth enamel starts out rock hard, over time, it erodes and becomes porous and susceptible to discoloration. However, even young people experience staining, particularly if they consume foods and beverages with a high acid content (such as sodas and sports drinks).
So, individuals should avoid these highly staining foods:
- blueberries and blackberries
- red beets
- pomegranates
- coffee, black tea, red wine
- sports drinks
- soy sauce
- curry
- anything with artificial coloring (candies, frozen treats)
- sodas such as cola and root beer
Dr. Corbitt cautions patients that these foods and beverages contain molecules called chromagens which allow stains to adhere to tooth enamel. She suggests limiting the amounts consumed, and in the case of a dark beverage such as iced coffee, drinking with a straw. Rinse with water immediately afterwards.
In addition, any food with a high carbohydrate content creates sticky plaque on tooth enamel and in between teeth, too. Bacteria thrive in plaque, secreting acids that wear enamel and allow it to retain stains. Foods to limit include:
- pastas
- white breads
- rice
- potatoes
- sweets such as cookies and cakes
What helps keep teeth white?
To counter the negative, Dr. Corbitt and her team advise adding healthy food choices to the diet. Simple water is not only good for weight control, it rinses tooth enamel and encourages saliva production. Saliva is nature’s own teeth whitener. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits are acidic but have a highly beneficial water content.
Other tooth healthy choices include hard fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, carrots, cauliflower, strawberries and celery. Both broccoli and pineapple have anti-inflammatory properties as well as a fibrous texture that scrubs tooth surfaces clean and white.
Finally, low-fat dairy products contain calcium for strong tooth enamel. So, choose hard cheese, milk and yogurt for snacks and at mealtime.
Contact Dr. Corbitt for a consultation
Would you like to know more about what you should and should eat to maintain a healthy, white smile? Contact the office of Fort Worth dentist Renee Corbitt DDS for additional information and for your routine check–up and cleaning.