I recently read, with amusement, a human-interest story about someone whose teeth turned green after consuming copious amounts of green beer at a local Irish pub. Similarly, I recall a patient who, despite being given my list of foods to avoid when whitening your teeth, consumed red wine just a few hours after undergoing in-office tooth whitening. She appeared at my “doorstep” the next morning with purple-hued teeth!
And while I happen to fancy green and purple (along with blue and pink), these colors are not associated with beautiful teeth. In fact, in the context of teeth, when I think of green, it’s usually a piece of spinach caught in between someone’s incisors…yuck.
Of course, white teeth are what everyone wants. So much, so that tooth whitening is the most frequently requested cosmetic dental procedure. Over 100 million Americans have whitened or bleached their teeth. As a country, we spend more than 1.4 billion dollars annually on over-the-counter whitening products – all in pursuit of a brighter smile.
Tooth whitening is a safe, non-invasive, and economical way to beautify your appearance when compared to other cosmetic dental procedures such as porcelain veneers, bonding, or crowns. But some basic dos and don’ts must be recognized to get the best possible results and minimize undesirable outcomes (including a “rainbow” smile).
Before I enumerate what foods and beverages to avoid when whitening your teeth, you should know that it applies to all teeth whitening techniques including in-office bleaching, dentist-prescribed take-home trays, whitening strips, brush-on gels, special toothpaste, etc.
The rule of thumb is this: if the food in question would stain white linen, then it will stain your teeth, especially when they are in the vulnerable state of being whitened. Get the point?
Three Types Of Foods To Avoid When Whitening Your Teeth
1. Avoid Dark-Colored Foods
Have you ever eaten Nacho Chips or Cheez Doodles and noticed how they stain your fingers? You certainly don’t want to transfer that neon orange to your teeth. Think about the color of your tongue after you sucked a lollypop or a cough drop – do you want that color to transfer to your teeth? Of course not!
- Soy Sauce
- Tomato Sauce
- Chili
- Carrots
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Carrots
- 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
2. Avoid Dark-Colored Drinks & Sports Beverages
Remember the patient who drank red wine? But don’t worry, white wine is fine, as is vodka, gin, and other clear or light beverages. But stay away from:
- Coffee (if you must have your caffeine fix, drink iced coffee through a straw – no swishing!)
- Tea
- Grape Drinks
- Tomato Juice
- Carrot Juice
- Green Juice (sorry all of you kale juice enthusiasts)
- Gatorade-Type Drinks (red, green, blue, or orange)
- Colas
3. 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
Teeth whitening can work wonders, even, dare I say, even small miracles to beautify your smile. Please follow these simplified guidelines for foods to avoid when whitening your teeth and you will get the best possible results!
As long as you’re here, you may be interested in:
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