5 Foods and Drinks to Avoid For a Naturally White Smile

Want to keep your smile white naturally? Of course you do! Here are a few foods and drinks that you should avoid to keep your teeth looking good.

Tea and coffee

It’s oh so tempting when you’re dashing off to work to grab a tea or coffee, savouring it on your journey, then setting another mug down beside your desk to enjoy during the day. However, the colour from drinks such as tea and coffee will unfortunately stain your teeth, becoming embedded in their uneven surface. In fact, any drinks containing tannins will do the same, so red or white wine will discolour your teeth too.

So consider cutting down on the number of tannin containing drinks you consume. Also, avoid sipping tea and coffee constantly throughout the day (we know right, such a bummer!). 

You may well find the benefits of tea and coffee far outweigh the negatives, so reduce the amount and frequency that you drink them instead, and really enjoy them when you do.

Berry dilemma

Berries such as blueberries and blackberries are chock full of goodness from a nutritional point of view, but when it comes to keeping your smile naturally white, their strong colour will work against you. A good rule of thumb to follow is that if foods are likely to stain your clothes, well then they’ll stain your teeth too. However, you don’t want to miss out on their antioxidant properties, so swill water around your mouth after consuming them. Be aware, vegetables with a similar colour, like beetroot are also teeth staining culprits.  

Colourful Condiments

Condiments and sauces such as ketchup, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, for example, are also chief offenders in the teeth staining stakes. In fact, any condiment or sauce with a strong colour will do likewise. So avoid them to maintain your naturally white smile. Eating crunchy vegetables like celery will help mitigate the effects of these condiments, otherwise clean your teeth afterwards or sip water.  However, any food with a strong colour is likely to leave a stain to some degree.      

Tomato-based pasta sauces

It’s no surprise with their vibrant red colour, but tomato-based pasta sauces are also a key culprit when it comes to staining your teeth. So your Bolognese or Marinara sauce will discolour your teeth. Yes, they pack a powerful nutritional punch, but they won’t help maintain your Natural Smiles. However, it’s been suggested that if you eat green veg, beforehand, it will help form a protective layer mitigating the staining to some extent, so have a salad as your starter.

Curry conundrum

The spices you’ll find in your curries, such as turmeric, have a deep hue that will stain your teeth over time. However, these spices have also been linked with a variety of health benefits, on which you won’t want to miss out. A general curry powder will tend to contain spices such as turmeric, coriander, cardamom, cumin, and red pepper – though of course, these differ from mix to mix. So, when you do enjoy a curry, try to eat fruit and vegetables that help prevent staining such as cauliflower, carrots, celery and apples.      

So there you have an overview of foods to avoid to keep your teeth looking white, naturally, including tannin rich drinks, berries, condiments, some pasta sauces and curries. However, one of the most important things you can do to mitigate the staining effects of the food you love is simply to practice good dental hygiene.   

Charlotte Giver

Charlotte is the founder and editor-in-chief at Your Coffee Break magazine. She studied English Literature at Fairfield University in Connecticut whilst taking evening classes in journalism at MediaBistro in NYC. She then pursued a BA degree in Public Relations at Bournemouth University in the UK. With a background working in the PR industry in Los Angeles, Barcelona and London, Charlotte then moved on to launching Your Coffee Break from the YCB HQ in London’s Covent Garden and has been running the online magazine for the past 10 years. She is a mother, an avid reader, runner and puts a bit too much effort into perfecting her morning brew.