The average person spends 115 days of their life laughing. But feeling self-conscious about your smile can lead to low self-esteem and poor body image.
According to Google trends, searches for ‘natural teeth whitening’ have increased 180% in the past 90 days.
Many of our favourite summer foods can harm our teeth-whitening efforts, causing them to appear yellow while also damaging them internally.
Experts at Kent Express Dental Supplies share the top foods to avoid for whiter teeth.
1. Citrus fruit
They’re great for getting a dose of vitamin C and other antioxidants, but citrus fruits can also cause damage to your teeth.
The acid in fruits like grapefruit, lemon, orange and lime contributes to the erosion of tooth enamel, exposing the yellow surface below.
However, there are other fruits you can eat to get your daily dose of vitamin C, including strawberries, guavas and papayas.
2. Tea and coffee
However, both contain tannins, which stain your teeth.
There’s some good news for latte lovers though, because adding milk to your tea and coffee is thought to reduce this effect.
You can help your teeth remain whiter by finishing your cup in fewer, larger mouthfuls.
Afterwards, wait 30 minutes and then brush your teeth, as this can prevent the stains from setting in.
3. Beetroot
While fresh beetroot offers many health benefits, it can harm the appearance of teeth.
Pickled beetroot has an even greater impact because the highly acidic vinegar can erode the surface of your teeth, making them more vulnerable to beetroot stains.
When eating beetroot, try to brush your teeth between 30 and 60 minutes afterwards.
4. Dark fizzy drinks
Fizzy drinks often contain citric acid, which can damage tooth enamel.
The extremely high volume of sugar in classic fizzy drinks is also a threat to your teeth as it weakens them and contributes to decay.
Even diet fizzy drinks still include acids and artificial colouring which cause tooth discolouration.
Drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi contain ingredients to give them their dark colours, but they also have the same effect on your teeth.
Drinking it with a straw might reduce the impact, but won’t completely prevent staining.
5. Salad dressing
Vinegars such as balsamic and apple cider vinegar are ingredients in many common salad dressings.
However, acidic vinegar doesn’t just make dressings taste tangy, it can also erode enamel and make your teeth vulnerable to staining.
Mixing some herbs and spices into olive oil, or using mashed avocado as a base for a dressing, can be a great alternative and won’t turn your teeth yellow.
6. Curries
Our favourite curry dishes often contain curcumin, which has a naturally bright yellow colour and causes staining.
Many of us know how badly curry can stain tablecloths and clothes, and it does the same to teeth.
Brushing your teeth shortly after your meal can reduce how much of the yellow chemical sinks into your teeth.
Protecting your teeth
Laura Baker-Fawcus RDN, practice manager at Forge House Dental explains how to keep your teeth from appearing dull over time and stain free:
“Brushing with an electric toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste which contains teeth whitening properties regularly, accompanied with interdental cleaning daily will help to prevent teeth stains.
“Eating anything sugary or acidic as part of a meal and not snacking in between meals can cause the teeth to endure more acid attacks.
“If you are going to have a pudding or fruit, make it straight after the meal as this will mean one acid attack per meal. This helps the teeth to recover between meals.”