Whether you have pearly white teeth because you have spent your life looking after them or you are having teeth whitening treatment at the dentist, the difficult part is keeping them white.

There are so many foods around these days that can stain teeth and a change in eating or drinking habits can quickly see white teeth start to change shade. Even for those who do not have perfect white teeth, if they start avoiding the foods mentioned in this article, then they can start work on improving them.

What foods should you avoid for whiter teeth?

• All fizzy drinks – Even if they are clear liquid they are usually acidic which damages the surface of the tooth which in turn allows levels of discoloration to increase.
• Fresh juice – Most juices are slightly acidic, however they are fine to drink, but you should avoid ones such as grape and cranberry.
• Red wine – Although all alcohol should be avoided in order to prevent excess sugar on them, red wine is one of the worst teeth strainers around.
• Coffee – Coffee and tea are both responsible for a fair bit of darkening of the teeth. If you pour some coffee onto a white kitchen towel, you can clearly see the coloring which will be on your teeth when you drink it.
• Sauces – A number of sauces that people use with their meals can stain the teeth, these include brown sauce, tomato sauce, soy sauce, and many others.
• Colored foods – Things like candy, ice cream, and popsicles can color the teeth. It is easy to tell which ones, if they color the tongue, then they are coloring the teeth as well.

Although we do not expect you to avoid all of the above, they should be used in moderation, and followed by a good clean with a whitening toothpaste.