What foods are safe to eat after teeth whitening? And what foods are not safe to eat? If you’re a popcorn lover, you might wonder if it’s a food that should be consumed or avoided right after teeth whitening.
Popcorn is safe to eat immediately after whitening. Teeth are only slightly sensitive after whitening and popcorn will not harm teeth before or after the process. Foods to avoid after whitening are foods that are high in acid or pigment, such as wine, tomato juice, or berries.
There are many safe foods to consume after teeth whitening and popcorn is definitely on the menu. Just be careful not to get a kernel stuck in your teeth! Let’s talk a bit about the foods that are and aren’t safe to eat after teeth whitening.
Can You Eat Popcorn After Teeth Whitening?
You can eat popcorn after you have whitened your teeth. Your teeth are mildly sensitive after teeth whitening and popcorn will not harm your teeth.
It is wise to avoid any popcorn colored with food coloring or any added dried colored fruit but your normal everyday popcorn will not affect your teeth.
Hulless popcorn is a real thing and if you eat that type of popcorn then you will not have to worry about getting hulls stuck in your teeth either.
What Foods Are Safe to Eat After Teeth Whitening?
While there are many foods you should avoid, It is important to know what foods are safe to eat after the whitening treatment. As before, make sure to listen to your teeth and if something is too hard to eat, don’t eat it.
An easy rule to follow would be: “the lighter the food, the whiter the smile.”
- Egg Whites
- Light-colored smoothies
- White meat
- Rice
- Low-acidic fruits
- Clear Sodas
- Popcorn
- Plain Yogurt
- Potatoes
- White wine
- Colorless Alcohols
Have you ever heard of hulless popcorn? It’s true! Read the article here
What Food to Avoid After Teeth Whitening?
Your teeth are going to be a bit sensitive after whitening. It is important to listen to your body and avoid foods that hurt too much to eat.
After the pain is gone, maintaining a perfectly white smile can be difficult, but avoiding certain foods can be the key to keeping your pearly whites bright.
For 48 hours to a week, it is recommended to stay away from foods that could stain your teeth. Using a whitening toothpaste can also help in keeping that smile as bright as it was when you got it.
Keeping up to date on your treatments helps as well.
Teeth become porous after the whitening process. While this is important for the bleach to do its work, it also makes teeth much more susceptible to colorful foods and staining after the bleaching process.
While normally eating these foods will not normally affect your teeth (if done in moderation), it is important to avoid them until the period of absorption is closed.
The foods to avoid are all high in acid or have a very strong pigment that could potentially stain your teeth.
- Red Wine–Red wine has natural pigments and tannins that are notorious for staining teeth a soft purple color.
- Coffee— Coffee is another drink that contains tannins that can easily stain teeth yellow.
- Tea— Green tea is alright to drink after teeth whitening, but black tea, just like Coffee and Red Wine, contains tannins that will stain your teeth yellow.
- Beer— Beer contains pigments that will stain teeth a yellowish-brownish color.
- Berries — Berries, especially blueberries, are notorious for staining teeth despite their delicious flavor.
- Colorful Spices — Many spices, such as turmeric, are used in dyes for clothing and will easily dye your teeth.
- Milk and Dark Chocolate— Chocolate also contains tannins (like coffee and wine) that will gradually stain your teeth over time.
- Colored Soda — Sodas contain a dye that will gradually stain your teeth over time, yellowing their white loveliness.
- Powdered-Cheese Products — The mess on your fingers is not the only mess these products create. The powder can compromise the ability for the bleach to do its job.
If you struggle to stay away from these products, especially the drink variety, please use a straw to avoid as much contact with your teeth as possible and brush or rinse your teeth immediately after eating them.
What To Do if Food Stains Teeth After Whitening
You’ve forgotten to avoid certain foods, and now your smile is no longer white… What do you do?
Repeat the Whitening Process
The easiest way to re-whiten teeth would be to complete the whitening process all over again. The stains on your teeth will disappear, just as they did before.
The process does not harm your teeth and so there is no risk of harming your enamel, especially if you use dentist-recommended products. However, be aware that your gums can become very sensitive and may need a break before being bleached again.
If you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on the dentist, here are some products that can help bring the white back into your smile for at least half the cost.
Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips– These strips are used daily for thirty minutes. You can see results after only a few applications and full results in 20 days. This product is user-friendly and will also allow you to talk and drink water while using. They are also enamel-safe and will not harm your teeth. They cost around $50 on Amazon.
Luminex Teeth Whitening Strips by Oral Essentials — If you are looking for a more natural road to whitening your teeth, these may be the strips for you. They contain all-natural ingredients, use oils and salt, and do not damage your enamel or gums. They also claim to do the work chemical-based whitening strips do without the pain or sensitivity. These cost $50 on Amazon.
Do you want to learn 7 ways to get popcorn out of your teeth? Read the article here
Whitening Toothpaste
An easy option to help your teeth re-whiten over time would be to use whitening toothpaste. They will not be as fast or effective as the options in the dentist’s chair, but they will help eliminate the staining that has been done to the teeth.
However, depending on the stain, it may not help, especially if the stain is the natural coloring of your teeth or goes beneath the surface of the tooth.
Whitening toothpaste comes in many sizes and prices. Here are a few highly-recommended pastes to try:
Crest 3D White Brilliance Toothpaste — This toothpaste removes most of the surface stains in 3 days. This toothpaste also prevents future stains. It is also, thankfully, safe for enamel and sensitive teeth.
Arm & Hammer Advance White Extreme Whitening Toothpaste — This toothpaste uses peroxide and baking soda as a natural method of removing stains. Not only is it amazing at whitening teeth, but also contains fluoride which prevents cavities and deeply cleans the teeth with gentle abrasion that will not damage the enamel. This toothpaste also prevents future staining and is half the price of many other teeth whitening toothpastes.
