Children want a bright, white smile. It is a sign that their teeth are healthy and it brings them confidence when people notice that they have a beautiful smile. Sometimes we see that a child’s teeth are looking a little dingy in brightness and may even be more on the yellow side.
Many factors can be causing your child’s teeth to not be as bright as they should be. A big cause can be what your child is drinking and eating. If children are consuming a large amount of foods and drinks that are heavily pigmented or heavily colored, over time their teeth will begin to stain.
Some Foods and Drinks that can Cause Teeth Stains:
- Blueberries, blackberries, cranberries
- Cherries, grapes, pomegranates
- Fruit juices
- Soda and other Acidic drinks
- Soy sauce and tomato sauce
- Hard candies
- Chewing gum
- Popsicles
A good rule to follow is if your tongue turns a funny color, there is a good chance that your teeth will be affected, too.
Unless they are consumed regularly, these heavily pigmented foods and drink probably play a minor role in teeth staining. A good way to prevent tooth staining is, after your child consumes these types of food and drinks to have them rinse with water.
Foods that Help Whiten Your Child’s Teeth
Just like there are foods that will darken your child’s teeth, some foods will help to whiten your child’s teeth. Eating these types of food will not produce instant results. The process is gradual and subtle. If you consistently have your child eat these types of food and avoid the foods that stain their teeth, you will notice a difference over the course of several months.
Foods that Will Help to Whiten Teeth:
- Lemons – be cautious, too many lemons cause enamel to weaken and teeth sensitivity
- Orange peels – natural tooth whitener, use the inside of the orange peel and rub directly on your teeth to whiten them
- Strawberries – polishes teeth, may make the teeth red but when you wash color away the teeth are whiter
- Raw Vegetables – crunchy nature of raw vegetables will abrasively scrub teeth
Continuously eating these foods will help give your child a whiter smile. These foods are just tips to help keep your child’s teeth white, there is still a lot more that must be done to keep that smile bright.
Help for Your Child’s Smile
Proper oral hygiene is the best defense against teeth stains. Your children should be brushing twice day, as well as developing regular flossing habits. This will help your child develop healthy white teeth. Going to the dentist on a regular basis will keep your child on the right track in taking proper care of their teeth.
Visiting a pediatric dentist is a great thing to ensure that your child’s teeth are healthy and white. With special training, pediatric dentists are there for your child to make sure that they know how to care for their teeth.
Alysha Webster
Bio
Alysha has been writing for the pediatric dental industry for some time now and likes to share words of wisdom on how she found the best child dentist for her.