White Food Recipes for After Teeth Whitening: What Can You Eat?
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After a whitening appointment, it’s surprisingly hard to decide what to eat when coffee, tomato sauce and anything brightly coloured suddenly look risky. I’ve had my teeth whitened plenty of times and followed a white diet each time, so I know how quickly plain chicken and rice can lose their appeal. These white food recipes for after teeth whitening give you simple breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack ideas for the first day or two.
The guide also answers questions about scrambled eggs, bread, butter, beans, fries and fast food. You’ll find two simple recipes as well as a clear explanation of what the latest research says about the white diet and which foods are commonly restricted in traditional whitening aftercare.
White Food Recipes for After Teeth Whitening at a Glance
- What this guide covers: Light-colored meals, drinks, snacks and simple recipes
- Typical time period: Up to 48 hours or as advised by your dentist
- Good meal choices: Plain chicken, white fish, rice, pasta, potatoes, cauliflower and pale dairy foods
- Commonly limited foods: Coffee, tea, red wine, curry, tomato sauce, berries and dark condiments
- For sensitive teeth: Choose lukewarm food and avoid very hot or icy drinks
- Important: Instructions from your dentist or whitening product take priority
Do You Need a White Diet After Teeth Whitening?
A white diet is a short-term eating plan based on pale-colored foods that are unlikely to leave visible stains. Many dental practices have traditionally recommended following it for 24 to 48 hours after professional whitening or avoiding highly colored food throughout an at-home bleaching course.
Recent research gives a more reassuring answer. Systematic reviews of clinical studies found that coffee, tea, cola, wine and an unrestricted diet didn’t significantly reduce whitening results when compared with a white diet. You can read the research summaries on PubMed here and here.
Some dentists still recommend avoiding strongly pigmented foods for a short period, and NHS tooth-whitening guidance advises patients to limit foods such as curry, tomato-based dishes and red wine during bleaching. Following those instructions is reasonable, especially when you’ve paid for professional treatment and would prefer to be cautious.
There isn’t a particular food for teeth whitening that will bleach or lighten your teeth. Light-colored meals simply make it easier to follow the aftercare plan you’ve been given. And tooth whitening isn’t cheap, so it makes sense to take precautions in the first couple of days afterward, to make the most of your new dazzling smile.
What White Foods Can You Eat After Teeth Whitening?
If you’ve been asked to follow a white diet, aim for plain, light-colored ingredients with no dark sauces or strongly coloured seasoning. Food doesn’t have to be completely colorless, and fat content has no bearing on whether milk, butter or cheese will stain your teeth.
Protein and Dairy Foods
- Plain skinless chicken or turkey
- Cod, haddock, pollock and other white fish
- Egg whites or softly coloured scrambled eggs
- Plain tofu
- Cottage cheese, cream cheese and mozzarella
- Plain white yogurt
- Milk
Rice, Pasta, Bread and Potatoes
- White rice
- Plain white pasta
- Peeled boiled or mashed potatoes
- Crustless white bread
- White pita bread or plain pale crackers
- Rice cereal with milk
Potatoes are naturally light-colored after peeling. If you’re following a particularly strict plan, choose boiled or mashed potatoes because roasting creates a brown exterior. You can save my crispy roasted potatoes for when your restricted period has finished.
Fruit, Vegetables and Beans
- Cauliflower
- White onion
- Parsnips
- Peeled cucumber
- Bananas
- White beans
- Plain white bean dip
Acidic fruit can sting temporarily sensitive teeth, even when it’s light-colored. A banana is usually a gentler choice than pineapple, citrus fruit or a tart apple.
Drinks After Teeth Whitening
- Still water
- Sparkling water if the acidity doesn’t bother your teeth
- Milk
- Banana milkshake without ice
- Other drinks specifically approved by your dentist
A clear drink isn’t automatically gentle on sensitive teeth. Lemonade, tonic water and fizzy drinks can be acidic, so water and milk are simpler choices during the first day.
Simple White Food Recipes and Meal Ideas
These after teeth whitening food ideas combine light ingredients into meals that are a little more interesting than a plate of plain rice. Keep seasonings mild and leave out dark sauces when you’ve been told to follow a strict white diet.
Breakfast Ideas
- Scrambled egg whites with mozzarella and finely chopped white onion
- Plain yogurt with sliced banana
- Rice cereal with milk
- White toast with cream cheese
- A banana milkshake served cool rather than icy
Lunch Ideas
- White pasta with cream cheese sauce and plain chicken
- White bean dip with pita bread
- Turkey with white rice and cauliflower
- Cottage cheese with plain crackers and peeled cucumber
Dinner Ideas
- Poached chicken with mashed potatoes and cauliflower
- Baked white fish with white rice
- Cauliflower cheese with plain turkey or chicken
- White pasta with mild cheese sauce and white beans
- Egg-white omelet with mozzarella and white onion
Snack Ideas
- Cottage cheese
- Mozzarella string cheese
- A banana
- Plain white yogurt
- Light crackers with cream cheese
- White bean dip with pita bread
White Pasta in White Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 ounces (85g) uncooked white pasta
- ¼ cup (60g) low-fat cream cheese, softened, or ¼ cup (60ml) prepared white pasta sauce
- 2 ounces (60g) raw chicken or turkey breast, optional
- 1 tablespoon finely minced white onion, optional
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- Salt, to taste, optional
Method
- If you’re adding poultry, cut it into small pieces and poach it in gently simmering water until cooked through.
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Mix the softened cream cheese with enough reserved pasta water to make a smooth sauce. Skip this step if you're using a prepared white pasta sauce.
- Stir the onion and garlic powder into the sauce, if using.
- Add the pasta and cooked poultry, then stir until coated. Season with salt if needed.
Notes
- Feel free to add white beans or cooked cauliflower, if you like.
- Keep cooked poultry refrigerated and don’t leave the pasta sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Remember to let it cool slightly before eating if your teeth are sensitive after whitening.
What Foods to Avoid After Teeth Whitening
The foods to avoid after teeth whitening are usually those with concentrated pigments or dark sauces. This guidance is precautionary, and an accidental bite or sip doesn’t mean you’ve ruined the treatment.
- Dark drinks: Coffee, black tea, cola, red wine and dark fruit juice
- Strongly coloured sauces: Tomato sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and BBQ sauce
- Spices: Curry powder, turmeric, paprika and deeply coloured spice blends
- Fruit and vegetables: Berries, cherries, beetroot and dark grapes
- Sweets: Colored candy, ice pops and frosting containing strong food dyes
- Tobacco: Smoking and other tobacco products can stain teeth
Acidity and temperature are separate concerns. Citrus juice, vinegar-heavy foods and fizzy drinks may irritate sensitive teeth even when they aren’t dark-colored.
Very hot soup or an icy drink can also cause a brief sharp pain after whitening. I tend to be quite lucky and only experience one or two “zaps” during the treatment and maybe the same amount afterward, but I know other people who suffer much more!
Tooth Sensitivity and Food Temperature
Temporary tooth sensitivity is common during and after whitening. Lukewarm pasta, rice, soup and drinks may be more comfortable than food served straight from the refrigerator or piping hot from the stove.
Let hot food cool briefly before eating it, or take chilled yogurt and cottage cheese out of the fridge shortly before preparing your meal. Don’t leave poultry, fish, dairy products or cooked rice sitting out for long periods though, of course.
A toothpaste made for sensitive teeth may help. NHS guidance also advises avoiding very cold food and drinks during bleaching. And I recommend that you contact your dentist if the pain is severe, continues after treatment or affects one particular tooth more than the others.
Banana Milkshake After Teeth Whitening
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana, peeled and sliced
- 1 ½ cups (355ml) milk
- White sugar or sweetener, to taste, optional
- Ice, optional (see notes)
Method
- Add the banana and milk to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste and add a little sugar or sweetener if needed.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Any type of plain dairy milk can be used. Full-fat milk isn’t more likely to stain teeth than skim milk.
- Use cool milk rather than icy milk if your teeth are sensitive and don’t add ice if very cold drinks are making your teeth hurt.
- Store any leftover milkshake in the refrigerator and drink it within 24 hours.
How Long Should You Follow the White Diet?
Many traditional aftercare sheets recommend 24 to 48 hours, while some dentists advise avoiding highly coloured foods for the full course of an at-home bleaching treatment. Follow the timing given by the dentist who treated you because whitening products and treatment plans differ.
Current clinical evidence hasn’t found that a strict white diet improves the final shade, so there’s no need to panic if you accidentally eat something colored. Rinse your mouth with water and continue with the instructions you were given.
White Food Recipes for After Teeth Whitening FAQs
Choose something white or light, mild and comfortably warm, such as plain chicken with white rice, white pasta with a mild cheese sauce, mashed potatoes, cauliflower, yogurt or a banana. Follow any specific instructions supplied by your dentist.
Yes. Current evidence doesn’t show that egg yolk reduces whitening results. Use egg whites if your dentist has specifically asked you to follow a very strict white diet, or make softly colored scrambled eggs without adding any ketchup or dark seasoning.
Follow the timing given by your dentist. Traditional advice is often 24 to 48 hours, although systematic reviews haven’t found that a strict white diet improves whitening results.
White bread, butter and white beans are all white or off-white choices. Butter isn’t more likely to stain teeth because it contains fat, although the guidance used to be choose fat-free dairy rather than full-fat, simply because it was less white.
Look for plain grilled chicken, white rice, mashed potatoes, a plain light-colored bread roll or lightly seasoned white fish. Leave off ketchup, tomato sauce, curry sauce, BBQ sauce and dark condiments when following a white diet.
The same white meal ideas can be used after whitening strips. Check the package directions because some strips are used daily over several days, and contact a dentist if they cause significant pain or gum irritation.
Keep the First Meals Simple
You don’t need to survive on plain rice after having your teeth whitened. Chicken, white fish, pasta, potatoes, cauliflower, white beans, dairy foods and eggs give you enough combinations for a varied day or two.
I found the white diet easier when I planned actual meals rather than collecting a list of disconnected white ingredients.
Use your dentist’s instructions as the deciding factor, choose food at a comfortable temperature and don’t panic over a small amount of color.
My cheese baked omelet is another egg idea for after the restricted period or for anyone who hasn’t been asked to avoid yolks. You might like to try modified potato soup (omit the meat and chives), baked chicken breast in chicken soup, perhaps paired with mashed potatoes, plain pasta or white rice, or any of these cauliflower rice recipes, omitting the darker ones.
