So, you've finally taken the plunge and invested in professional teeth whitening to achieve that dazzling smile you've always wanted. Congratulations! But the journey to a lasting, bright smile doesn't end in the dentist's chair. To prolong the effects of your whitening treatment and avoid discoloration, you need to be mindful of what you eat and drink. This is where the "White Diet" comes in. This article delves into the White Diet, explaining what it is, what foods to avoid and enjoy, and other essential tips to protect your newly whitened teeth.
What is the White Diet?
The White Diet is a short-term dietary approach focusing on consuming white and light-colored foods and drinks. It's typically recommended for 48 hours after a professional teeth whitening procedure to prevent staining and maintain your bright results. During this time, your teeth are more susceptible to staining because the whitening process can make them slightly porous, temporarily exposing the dentin layer.
By following the White Diet, you minimize the contact of dyes and pigments with your teeth, giving them time to recover and preventing discoloration. This diet excludes products containing dyes, even those of natural origin. The white diet should consist mostly of light-colored or white foods that do not affect tooth color.
Foods and Drinks to Avoid After Teeth Whitening
For approximately 48 hours post-whitening, it's crucial to avoid foods and beverages that can cause staining. These items often contain natural pigments or artificial dyes that can build up over time and lead to discoloration.
Here's a list of foods and drinks to avoid:
Read also: The White Foods Diet Plan
- Wine: Both red and white wines pose a threat to the color and enamel of your teeth. Red wine, with its high acidity and dark pigment, is likely to cause stains. White wine, despite its lighter color, can erode enamel. Dark alcoholic beverages such as red wine should be avoided.
- Coffee & Tea: These popular beverages contain tannins, which can accumulate and darken teeth over time. After whitening, when teeth are more porous, tannins can stain even faster. If you can't skip your daily dose, try drinking it through a straw to minimize contact with your teeth. Coffee and tea should be excluded.
- Soft Drinks: Carbonated drinks are generally high in sugar and acid, which can weaken tooth enamel. Dark-colored colas can also cause surface stains. Avoiding soft drinks benefits your teeth's brightness and overall health, even when you're not on the White Diet. Carbonated drinks should be avoided.
- Candy & Chocolate: Refined sugars in candy and chocolate can cause decay, erosion, and discoloration, especially when your teeth are sensitive after whitening. Sweets, including candy, cookies, and cakes, should be avoided.
- Dark Fruits: Fruits with dark juices, such as raspberries, cherries, pomegranates, blackberries, and blueberries, are rich in pigments that can stain teeth. Their acidity can also contribute to enamel erosion. Stay away from juices containing these fruits, too. Vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, carrots, and beets should also be avoided.
- Spices: Spices such as sweet and hot paprika, curry, turmeric, and cinnamon should be excluded.
- Red Meats: Red meats like pork, beef, veal, and game should be avoided.
- Fruit Yogurts: Avoid fruit yogurts.
- Yellow or Smoked Cheese: Avoid yellow or smoked cheese.
Foods and Drinks You Can Have After Teeth Whitening
As the name suggests, the White Diet primarily consists of white-colored foods with low acidity and free from pigments and chemicals that cause stains.
Here's a list of foods and drinks you can enjoy:
- Fish, Chicken, & Tofu: Light, lean proteins are generally healthy and excellent after teeth whitening. Be cautious of vibrant seasonings or sauces; stick to white sauces instead.
- Rice, Bread, & Pasta: Most grains are safe on the White Diet. However, watch out for bread and pasta containing molasses or food coloring, which can artificially darken them and transfer to your teeth. Traditional boxed white pasta will have terms like “semolina” or “durum wheat.” Healthier choices will have “Whole grain durum wheat” or “Organic whole wheat semolina” listed first.
- White Cheese & Yogurt: Opt for white cheeses and plain yogurts, skipping artificially colored cheeses and sugary, flavored yogurts.
- Fresh Fruits & Vegetables: Light-colored fruits and vegetables are staples of the White Diet. Fruits like pears, bananas, and apples and vegetables like cauliflower, potatoes, and mushrooms are healthy for you and good for your teeth.
- Water: Water is the best choice for hydration, oral health, and maintaining smile brightness. It has no risk of staining or eroding enamel, making it the ideal beverage on the White Diet.
Low-Fiber Considerations
A low-fiber diet limits the types of vegetables, fruits, and grains you can eat. Some of the foods allowed on a low-fiber diet include milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish, and eggs. The ability to digest food varies from person to person. A healthcare professional may recommend a diet that is more or less limited depending on the reasons it is being used.
If you're eating a low-fiber diet, be sure to read food labels. Foods you might not expect can have added fiber. For example, yogurt, ice cream, cereal, and even some drinks may have fiber. Hot and cold cereals should have less than 2 grams of dietary fiber in a single serving. Prepare all foods so that they're tender using simmering, poaching, stewing, steaming, and braising.
Eating a low-fiber diet will limit your bowel movements. It may help reduce diarrhea or other symptoms, such as stomach pain. Because a low-fiber diet limits what you can eat, it can be difficult to meet your nutritional needs. If you must continue eating this diet for a longer time, consult a registered dietitian.
Read also: Balancing Rice and Mediterranean Food
Additional Tips to Protect Your Teeth After Whitening
Besides following the White Diet, here are some other ways to maintain your bright smile:
- Quit Smoking: Nicotine in cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or e-cigarettes can cause yellowing of the enamel. Quitting tobacco benefits your teeth and overall oral health. Avoid smoking, as tobacco smoke can discolor teeth even more than before whitening.
- Regular Dental Checkups and Cleanings: Combine teeth whitening with regular checkups and dental cleanings to keep your smile healthy.
- Maintain Oral Hygiene: Use appropriate hygiene products, such as a whitening toothpaste with gentle silica and a mouthwash designed for stain prevention. Clean interdental spaces regularly using an irrigator or dental floss with silica microbeads to remove plaque and food debris.
- Avoid Extreme Temperatures: Try to avoid consuming very hot or very cold food and drinks for a while, as these can trigger sensitivity.
Beyond the White Diet: Long-Term Nutrition for Healthy Teeth
While the White Diet is helpful immediately after teeth whitening, it's essential to adopt sound nutrition advice long-term. Remember that not eating white foods is an attempt to simplify this advice. Be mindful of your overall dietary habits to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Nutrition research has documented the long-term negative health impacts of overindulging in pies, cookies, cakes, donuts, and other pastry items. When choosing wheat bread, ensure the first ingredient is "Whole wheat flour" or "100% whole wheat flour," without any other flours listed after that. Check the Nutrition Facts panel for fiber content, aiming for 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day. The average American only consumes about 15 grams of fiber daily. When looking at the ingredient list for cereal, aim for “100% whole” whether it be wheat, corn, oats or other grain.