Quick Answer
What foods should you avoid after whitening your teeth?
The foods to avoid when whitening your teeth are dark-colored foods, dark beverages, and acidic foods and drinks. Steer clear of them for at least 48 hours after in-office whitening, and stay mindful of them throughout any at-home program. Freshly whitened teeth are temporarily more porous, so stains and acids affect them far more easily than usual. The simple test: if a food would stain white linen, skip it while your teeth are still vulnerable.
I recently read, with amusement, about a woman whose teeth turned green after one overly enthusiastic St. Patrick’s Day at an Irish pub, more green beer than actual beer. It reminded me of a patient of mine who ignored my list of foods to avoid when whitening your teeth, had a glass of red wine a few hours after her in-office treatment, and showed up at my office the next morning with teeth the color of a plum. Not a light bruise. A ripe, deep purple plum.
I happen to like green and purple as colors. Just not on teeth. (Somewhere in my head, spinach stuck between your two front teeth still counts as the most avoidable shade of green in dentistry.)
You’re in good company wanting a brighter smile. Teeth whitening is one of the most requested cosmetic dental procedures in the country. Up to 19% of Americans have whitened their teeth, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report summarized by ADA News. It’s a safe, non-invasive, and economical way to improve your smile compared to veneers, bonding, or crowns, but a few basic dos and don’ts make the difference between a bright result and an accidental rainbow.
What Actually Happens To Your Teeth During Whitening
Here’s the part that explains why the timing matters so much. Whitening gels, whether you get them in my chair or in a take-home tray, work by opening up the outer layer of your enamel just enough to lift out the compounds causing extrinsic staining (the surface stains that build up from what you eat and drink, as opposed to staining that starts inside the tooth). While that’s happening, your teeth are temporarily more porous than usual, which is also why temporary sensitivity and mild gum irritation are the most common side effects of the process.
Note: Whitened teeth act like a sponge for about 48 hours. Dark colors, acids, anything that would embarrass a white napkin, all of it soaks in more easily than usual. That’s the whole logic behind the list that’s coming.
That window of extra porosity is exactly when your teeth are most vulnerable to picking up new stains and most likely to react to acid. It closes gradually over about 48 hours after in-office bleaching, which is where the classic rule of thumb comes from: if a food or drink would stain white linen, it’s going to find your teeth even more agreeable.
Three Types Of Foods To Avoid When Whitening Your Teeth
Avoid Dark-Colored Foods
This is the white linen test in action. Tomato sauce, berries, and a good dark marinade are vivid for a reason, and that same pigment that makes marinara so satisfying on pasta will happily settle into vulnerable enamel. If it would leave a mark on a napkin or a white shirt, keep it away from your teeth for the next 48 hours:
- Soy Sauce
- Tomato Sauce
- Chili
- Carrots
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Red Meat
- Spinach
- Dark Marinades
- Popsicles
- Chocolate (white chocolate is fine)
- Bright-colored chewing gum
- Cheez Doodles
- Nacho Cheese Chips
- Candy such as Hot Tamales and Red Hots
Note: Somewhere out there is a person who has never bitten into red licorice while wearing whitening trays. I have not met that person.
Avoid Dark-Colored Drinks & Sports Beverages
Red wine is the classic offender. If you’ve ever tried to get a wine stain out of a white tablecloth, you already know why. White wine, vodka, and gin are all fine since they’re light or clear. Stay away from:
- Coffee (if you must have your caffeine fix, drink iced coffee through a straw – no swishing!)
- Tea
- Red wine
- Grape Drinks
- Tomato Juice
- Carrot Juice
- Green Juice (sorry all of you kale juice enthusiasts)
- Gatorade-Type Drinks (red, green, blue, or orange)
- Colas
Avoid Acidic Foods & Beverages
Two common side effects of tooth whitening are temporary tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. Acidic foods further irritate the gums (and can sting like the dickens!). They increase the sensitivity, as well, especially to cold. Acids are irritants, so stay away from them for about 48 hours following in-office bleaching and for a couple of hours following home bleaching.
- Citrus Fruit
- Vinegar
- Most Sports Drinks
- Vitamin Water
Note: Acidic foods are the one category on this list that isn’t about color at all. Grapefruit won’t stain a thing. It’ll just make your teeth ache like you bit down on tinfoil.
Wine isn’t the only drink with a staining reputation worth knowing about beyond the whitening window, either. I’ve written more on that specific question in Does Drinking Wine Stain My Teeth? if you want the fuller picture.
What To Do During Your Whitening Window
- Wait the full 48 hours after in-office bleaching before returning to dark or acidic foods and drinks.
- Use a straw for coffee or iced tea if you can’t skip it entirely, and skip the swishing.
- Stick to white wine, vodka, or gin for any toast that happens to land during your whitening window.
- Stay consistent with at-home trays and keep watching what you eat immediately after each session, not just on day one.
- Ask before you assume about anything not on this list. A quick question saves you a surprise in the mirror.
Final Thoughts
Whitening works miracles for a smile, and the results hold up best when you give your teeth a short break from stains and acid right after treatment. Skip the foods to avoid when whitening your teeth for the first 48 hours and you’ll get the bright, even result you’re after instead of an accidental rainbow.
If you’ve got a big event coming up and want to time your whitening around it, or you’re just ready to talk about what would work best for your teeth, I’d love to see you in the chair.
For New Yorkers Looking For A Dentist They Can Trust
If you are in New York City and looking for a dentist who will give you straight answers without a lecture, my team and I would be glad to meet you. Visit us at our Midtown Manhattan dental office for an experience built on clarity, warmth, and genuine care.
Whether you have questions about teeth whitening, what to avoid, or how to make your results last, you will leave with real information and a plan.
You may have just found your new dental home.
Call us today to book your appointment, we look forward to meeting you!
Frequently Asked Questions: Foods To Avoid When Whitening Your Teeth
1. What are the foods to avoid when whitening your teeth, and for how long?
Skip anything dark-colored or acidic, including coffee, red wine, tomato sauce, and citrus, for a strict 48 hours after in-office whitening and a couple of hours after each at-home session. Your enamel is temporarily more porous during that window, so it picks up stains faster than usual.
2. Can I still drink coffee after whitening if I use a straw?
A straw helps by keeping coffee off your front teeth, but it’s not a full workaround during the first 48 hours. After that window, a straw genuinely cuts down on contact. If you can’t skip coffee entirely, iced coffee through a straw, no swishing, is your best middle ground.
3. Is dark chocolate okay during an at-home whitening tray program?
I’d treat dark chocolate the same as any other dark, richly pigmented food and avoid it, especially right after a tray session. White chocolate is the safer swap since it carries none of the staining compounds. Save the dark chocolate for after your whitening program wraps up.
4. Can I brush my teeth right before or after using whitening strips?
Yes, you don’t need to wait either way. You can brush right before applying strips or trays and right after removing them. Just skip colored toothpaste and mouthwash during your whitening program, since the pigment works against you, and stick with a soft-bristled brush.
5. Should I tell my dentist if I slipped up on the food list during whitening?
Yes, always. If you had any of the foods to avoid when whitening your teeth sooner than recommended, or you’re noticing new sensitivity or uneven color, mention it at your next visit. It helps your dentist judge how your results are holding up and whether your home routine needs any adjustment.
While You're Here…
About The Author
Dr. Michael Sinkin is a NYC general and implant dentist located in Midtown Manhattan with over 40 years in practice. He is also a Surgical Director at NYU College of Dentistry’s Continuing Education Implant Program. Dr. Sinkin has built his practice around one idea: exceptional dental care with a heart.
52 Responses
Hi! I just got my teeth whitened on Friday and I was wondering when I can go back to eating normally (sprite, red meat, pasta sauce, basically strongly colored foods!)
Dear Dayi,
Generally a 48-hour period of abstinence after the whitening procedure is usually adequate. However, one must bear in mind that richly-colored foods such as red wine can stain your teeth. I assume that you were given a home program to help maintain your pearly whites. Enjoy.
Dr. Sinkin
I just got my teeth whitened in-office and have been sent home with whitening trays to use for the next 7 days. I understand I should avoid acidic and colored foods/beverages for the first 48 hours. Must I avoid these after 48 hours if I am still doing whitening trays once a day? Am I able to drink white wine/ light colored alcohol? (my bachelorette party is this weekend, poor timing on my part lol)
Dear Brooke,
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. The first 48 hrs is critical as far as dietary restrictions. After that, even while doing your at-home whitening, you don’t have to be quite so strict. White wine is fine. I would avoid red wine and obviously richly colored foods…don’t eat pomegranates…but otherwise enjoy.
Have fun.
Dr. S
Hello I just had a teeth whitening procedure @9am it’s currently 6pm and I totally forgot about food colors I’m not supposed to have can hot Cheetos mess up my teeth
Dear Yesenia,
Whoops! In theory, orange food coloring is a no-no. Whether the Cheetos left their mark is to be determined. Fortunately, your indulgence was hours after the whitening process and your teeth may have remineralized to some extent. Time will tell, though. Good luck.
Dr.Sinkin
I am doing an at-home teeth whitening gel tray treatment that is supposed to last for 2 weeks. I’ve been doing it for 2 days now. I apply the gel in the morning and at night for 15-20 minutes. I was wondering since i’m a teenager, does eating certain food and drinks still apply? Also, does hot sauce stain your teeth?
Hi Alexis,
You should avoid all of the foods on my list and anything that has a strong color, regardless of your age. Best of luck with your new pearly whites!!
Dr. S.
Hi, I’m using the at home Opalescence 10% gel take home trays and unfortunately my standard breakfast was black grapes, blueberries, strawberries, pomegranates and raspberries alongside green tea, which obviously are not recommended during whitening! However I’m struggling with other breakfasts and trying to drink green tea through a straw and having the dark berry breakfast alternate days (after a night off using the trays), is this enough to prevent staining? I’ve on occasion waited a few hours and had the berries a few hours after…I’m not sure how strict to be as it’s not an in office treatment?
Also is dark chocolate ok in the evening? Particularly after taking a night off whitening? Many thanks!
Dear Abbey,
The question is, how badly do you want whiter teeth? The foods you describe are amongst the worst for whitening (yet fabulously healthy.) You need to abstain from them while actively whitening, even with trays and opalescence. Once you have completed the process you can resume your normal diet with the understanding that all of the foods you listed will stain even the whitest teeth. I am confident that you can achieve pearly whites with appropriate dietary modifications.
Good luck!
Dr. Sinkin
Dr. Sinkin,
This thread has been very helpful. Do you have any recommendations around brushing: how long should I wait after I brush before applying the strips? How long should I wait after applying the strips before brushing? I’m guessing I should also avoid using my green mouthwash during the two week period?
Thanks
Dear Kevin,
You need not wait to apply the whitening strips after brushing. Same applies to when you remove them. Just avoid colored toothpaste and mouthwash and use a soft brush. Be well and enjoy your bright white smile.
Dr. Sinkin