We’ve all seen it happen: you’re at a summer cookout, someone captures an image of the occasion, and you immediately scan for your picture and check whether or not you had a nice-looking smile!
Summer is notorious for making your teeth the center of attraction. You take beach selfies, go on family vacations, attend weddings, and go on random ice cream excursions that end up being impromptu photo shoots! All these events cause your smile to be on display more often than any other time of year.
However, there is a downside to having your teeth on display all summer long! There are many things during the summer that can cause your teeth to lose their whiteness, and as normal as that might seem, there’s some good news! You don’t have to give up anything you love to maintain white teeth for the duration of the summer. You won’t have to avoid going into a Starbucks all summer or telling someone you can’t have your favorite smoothie with berries in it. If we implement a few simple habits, we can have a significant impact on keeping our smiles bright.
Here are 4 ways you can maintain white teeth during the summer that can easily fit into your everyday life:
1. Be Strategic About Summer Drinks
Drinks, by far, are the most obvious cause of stains. In fact, beverages will be a large part of your summer. For example, in the morning, you will likely drink iced coffee; in the afternoon, you might have lemonade; then you may consume sports drinks if you work out, and iced tea when sitting outside relaxing with friends.
All very innocent drinks. However, they all contain pigments as well as acids that stain teeth, so coffee and tea are well documented as being tough on our teeth, and brightly colored fruit drinks may stain our teeth over time (the inevitable subtle stain from fruit drinks is due to the wear of teeth over time).
However, you do not need to stop drinking these drinks; consider being a bit strategic in how you consume them. Here are several easy modifications to your habits:
- Drink staining beverages through a straw whenever possible.
- Rinse your mouth with water afterward.
- Alternate colored drinks with plain water.
- Avoid sipping the same drink for hours.
Imagine this: the longer the pigments are on your teeth, the greater damage they do to them. A glass of plain water is an underused and often overlooked tool for keeping your mouth clean and healthy.
Also, unless you’re not drinking enough water during the warmer months, you’re likely to be staying well-hydrated.
That’s two wins!
2. Make Water Your Summer Sidekick
Water would most likely win the award for being the most valuable player (MVP) in oral hygiene.
This is an eye-opener, especially considering many people do not think about how much of an impact hydration can have on the quality of their smile and focus on whitening products instead.
When you are well hydrated, your body will generate adequate amounts of saliva to help rinse food particles and bacteria. The saliva is your body’s automatic cleaning mechanism for your mouth and works all day long (even when you are not thinking about it).
During the summer months, dehydration is a risk as temperatures rise and you spend more time outside (with increased dehydration risk); therefore, it becomes even more important to be hydrated because when your mouth is dry, the plaque and stains will remain on your teeth longer than desired.
Try to keep a reusable water bottle within reach of you all day long.
Better yet, take a sip of water:
- After coffee
- After fruit juice
- After sports drinks
- After sugary snacks
Making one small choice every day to drink an extra glass of water, for example, will seem like nothing at first. However, combined with all the times you make an extra effort to do so throughout the summer will eventually become something significant. Just think about how you may need a little more motivation to keep hydrated this summer!
3. Watch Out for Sneaky Stain-Causing Summer Foods
The fun part is just beginning! There is a perception that only junk food can cause dental problems, but, in fact, many of the healthiest foods for summer can lead to discoloration. Take berries. Blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and raspberries are delicious, nutritious, and very fresh. However, they can also cause staining because they are highly pigmented. The very factors that give these fruits their bright colors can easily adhere to tooth enamel for a short period of time.
What does that mean? Should you avoid these fruits? No way! Life is too short to be afraid of blueberries!
Instead, keep reading for some other helpful ideas:
- Eat stain-prone foods during meals rather than snacking all day.
- Rinse with water afterward.
- Pair colorful fruits with crunchy foods like apples.
- Brush your teeth later in the day.
Discoloration occurs with tomato-based dishes, dark sauces, balsamic dressings, etc. Stains happen regardless of when you eat out at restaurants, but being aware of the food items you eat helps you enjoy them while using some small techniques. This is a much more realistic option than creating a menu this summer made up of only bland foods.
4. Upgrade Your Oral Care Routine Without Overdoing It
When someone realizes their teeth are no longer as white as they used to be, they tend to rush into doing something about it. Instantly brushing harder than usual and trying a thousand different “whitening hacks” on TikTok, as well as using products too frequently,y can lead to more issues for the teeth instead of helping them out like planned. It is very important to take care of the enamel, not destroy it. A better approach is to be consistent in all habits listed below.
- Brush twice daily with a whitening toothpaste approved by dental professionals.
- Floss every day.
- Replace your toothbrush regularly.
- Schedule routine dental cleanings.
- Follow product instructions carefully.
Waiting at least half an hour before brushing your teeth after consuming acidic foods/beverages is recommended by numerous dental providers because brushing too soon can wear down the enamel that acts as protection against wear (e.g., grinding).
Furthermore, some food particles, as well as plaque, love to hide in between your teeth where a toothbrush cannot reach. Therefore, cleaning those areas will help keep your smile looking bright and feeling fresh.
Carrying out mundane tasks consistently is often the best option.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Forget About Sunscreen for Your Smile Photos
Although this isn’t really about whitening teeth, you’re still going to want to know about it.
For many people, confidence plays as much of a role in their brightness as does the color of their teeth. Some people can have the whitest teeth in the world and still not have one bright smile, while others may only have an average shade of whiteness and yet be so confident that it lights up any room they smile in.
As long as you are taking care of your mouth (for example, taking in enough water to keep your mouth moist, brushing your teeth regularly, and avoiding or limiting those foods that can stain your teeth), remember that the pursuit of perfection shouldn’t keep you from having fun with friends, enjoying summertime memories, or participating in photo opportunities….and certainly not from showing off your smile!
Conclusion: Small Habits Create Brighter Smiles
The four tips for keeping your smile brighter during the summer will help ensure that you have a bright smile, without having to turn your summer into one long list of what cannot be done. Additional advice to keep your white teeth this summer:
- Use a “stain-prevention” drink as your summer drink of choice.
- Water should become your daily water drink of choice.
- Be aware of food items that may affect tooth color.
Continue to follow these measured guidelines you created earlier.
These habits are effortless. That’s why they work! In fact, a bright white smile is generally a collection of small choices made every day rather than one large decision made once in a while. When you are going to hold an iced coffee, pick a handful of berries, or take a picture for a vacation photo, think about what little thing you can do that will make your future self thankful for your bright smile!
Commonly Asked Questions
1: How can I keep my teeth white during the summer?
Many of the things we drink and eat in the summer can cause teeth to become stained. To help keep your teeth from becoming discolored, drink plenty of water so that you can rinse your mouth out after eating or drinking any food/drink that has the potential to cause staining; maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing your teeth regularly; and go to the dentist every six months for a professional cleaning.
2: Which summer drinks stain teeth the most?
Iced coffee, iced tea, sports drinks, red fruit juice, and dark sodas are all examples of common drinks that can cause stains on your teeth. These drinks contain strong-colored pigments that can attach to the enamel on your teeth and make your teeth duller and/or more yellow if you consume these types of beverages frequently and do not take care of your teeth properly.
3: Does drinking water help maintain white teeth?
Yes! Drinking water helps wash away food particles, plaque, bacteria, and staining materials left in your mouth after you consume food and/or beverages from settling on your teeth. When you’re drinking plenty of water, you also provide your body with sufficient amounts of fluids to produce saliva, which also helps to protect your teeth and help you maintain whiter-looking teeth.
4: Are berries bad for white teeth?
Berries are very good for you, and they do have natural pigments, which can stain your teeth temporarily when you eat them. You will not need to stop eating berries; however, after you eat any type of berry, rinse your mouth out with water, and continue to regularly brush your teeth to keep your teeth from becoming discolored from the berries that you eat.
5: How often should I brush to keep my teeth white?
To keep your teeth looking whiter, you should be brushing at least twice per day with either a fluoride-based or a bleaching agent-based toothpaste and flossing at least once per day. Regular oral hygiene habits will help remove plaque and surface stains from your teeth, thereby providing you with a much brighter smile and protecting your overall oral health throughout this summer.
