Whitening toothpaste, whitening strips and DIY whitening products may help you obtain the nice pearly whites you want– but they won’t help with keeping your teeth healthy. To obtain a perfect smile you will not only need to brush regularly but be aware of some of the things that can cause damage to your teeth. These 10 foods should be avoided or eaten in moderation if you want to have a healthy perfect smile.
1.) Coffee
Coffee can erode the enamel and stain your teeth because of the tannic acid found in coffee. If you cannot forgo the caffeine try a latte or green tea. Or add milk to your coffee, this will reduce the amount of tannic acid in the coffee.
2.) Tomatoes
Whether the raw as a sauce or juice, tomatoes are highly acidic and will erode the enamel on your teeth.
3.) Cakes And Cookies
Loaded with sugar, these treats can cause major tooth decay. Sugary treats can invite bacteria into your mouth, which can have a negative effect on your perfect smile.
4.) Hard Candies
It is not a surprise that candy is bad for your teeth, but hard candies can have an even worse effect on your teeth than chewy candies. Besides causing cavities, the sugars can get stuck in the gums and between the teeth. This can invite more bacteria to grow in the mouth, which will ruin your perfect smile quickly.
5.) Pickles
Pickles will cost you your perfect smile because they can erode enamel due to the high acidic levels in them.
6.) Apples And Carrots
These hard to bite foods can cause cracks and chips in your teeth. If you already have fragile or sensitive teeth these foods can cause even more damage. Cut these foods into smaller bite-size pieces to reduce the risk of cracking teeth.
7.) Red Wine
Red wine is commonly known for staining teeth but can also cause damage to the enamel. If you must drink wine stick to white.
8.) Citrus Fruit
The high acidity levels in citrus fruit like oranges, lemons and grapefruit can erode the enamel of your teeth. Eat citrus fruit in moderation and rinse your mouth with water after eating them to help wash away some of the left over acid.
9.) Pop/Soda/Cola
There are a number of reasons to avoid drinking soda, one of them being it will destroy your perfect smile. Filled with excessive amounts of sugars and dyes, these beverages will quickly ruin your perfect smile.
1o.) Seeded Berries
While eating berries is good for your health, they are not so good if you want a perfect smile. Brushing your teeth after eating berries can limit this effect though. The seeds in berries can become stuck in your gums which can cause infections in your mouth.
The perfect smile takes more than just brushing your teeth
Maintaining a perfect smile will require slightly more effort than just ensuring they are sparkling white. These foods can have lasting negative effects on your teeth- from damaging the enamel to causing bacteria to grow even more in your mouth. Brush and floss your teeth on a regular daily basis and rinse your mouth after eating some of these foods to wash away leftover sugars or acids.