Your Orthodontist in San Diego Shares Popular, but Harmful Foods and Drinks that Dim Your Smile

Everyone has a favorite meal, their go-to dish that brings them the comfort and warmth of their favorite day, a memory tied to the food, or something particularly fond that always cheers them up. While there could be one meal or countless meals, your orthodontist in San Diego wants to ensure that you’re still taking proper care of your smile if your favorite dish has a specific eliminate – or ingredient – that can damage or dim the surface of your teeth.

Dive deeper into common culprits that are popular for their flavor, but can do a decent amount of harm to your smile if you’re not careful:

Marinara (Pasta) Sauce
This sauce compliments countless types of foods, whether it’s your favorite pasta dish or a dipping side to some mozzarella sticks. Unfortunately, there are some negative aspects to this kind of sauce. Because of their acidity, bright red color, and clingy tendencies, the tomatoes used to create the sauce can easily cling to the surface of your teeth, staining them faster than others.

With the help of a fresh spring, green salad as an appetizer, these vegetables (including others within the same green tint) create a protective film over your smile and can fight back against the deep red sauce.

Berries
There are numerous health benefits to some of our favorite berries, but your smile may not always be on the receiving end of those benefits. Because of their dark colors, similar to pasta sauce, they can easily cause staining and even the potential of getting stuck in between your teeth, showing the same sort of qualities as tomatoes. Whether berries like cranberries, raspberries, or blueberries are consumed whole, enjoyed as juice, or spread as jam, these staining qualities are still strong!

Once you’re finished enjoying these delectable fruits, be sure to wash it down with a glass of water to rinse away the acidity or pair it with some cheese to neutralize the acidity while it strengthens your teeth.

Beverages
Whether it’s coffee in the morning or wine at night, there are negative dental side effects that your favorite drink may cause.  Due to the qualities of excessive carbonation, high amounts of sugar, and high acidic levels, your teeth are coming in direct contact with these drinks and suffering. We encourage you to limit the number of harmful beverages you consume throughout the day or always try to pair it with a glass of water to help wash away the harmful build-up the drinks have caused.

Looking for other ways to protect your smile and enjoy some delicious foods and drinks? Don’t hesitate to ask our orthodontist in San Diego for suggestions on foods and drinks that strengthen your smile AND taste good, too! Give our office a call at one of our convenient locations in San Diego to schedule your appointment today.