Pearly white teeth are often perceived as a sign of health and youth. It is no surprise that many of our patients seek a whiter smile. Our team here at Alluvial Dental truly enjoys the confidence boost that our patients experience after a professional teeth whitening.
We feel fortunate to be able to help so many people in removing the stains from their teeth. However, we also find it important to share information on how those stains got there to begin with. Believe it or not, there are food types that cause your teeth to stain. Below is a list of the foods that are most likely to tamper with the vibrancy of your pearly white smile.
Coffee and Tea
Coffee and tea are one of the leading causes for smiles to lose their shine. Both of these drinks contain tannins, also known as a chemical called polyphenol. Tannins cause color compounds that stick to your teeth. This is a hard truth to accept for most coffee and tea lovers. Our recommendation is to reduce the amount of coffee and tea you drink and also to drink plenty of water afterwards to cleanse the mouth. You might also opt for using a straw for your drink!
Red Wine
Acidic drinks in general have the ability to open up the pores of the enamel in the teeth. Red wine is no exception to this rule. When drinking red wine, the enamel in the teeth roughens and the colors of the drink become etched to the surface of the teeth. The best alternative to preventing this from occurring is to limit your red wine intake.
Dark Cola
Similarly to red wine, dark cola is an acidic drink. They can stain the teeth in the same way that red wine does. We highly recommend removing this from your list of drinks as it is also high in sugar and has other potential health risks.
Sweets and Candies
Many hard and gummy-like candies have color dyes within them. This makes them the perfect candidate to prevent a white smile from shining through. The other issue with all sweets and candies is the fact that they are made up of mostly sugar. Sugar is notoriously known for harming teeth. The good news is that eating sweets and candies in moderation should be okay for most people.
Berries and Fruit Juices
This is possibly one of the hardest ones to accept. Berries and fruit juices can have a lot of benefits to your health. However, their dark pigmentation can become counterproductive for those looking to keep stains away from their teeth. In the ideal world, a quick mouth rinse would be mandatory after eating berries or having fruit juices from darker fruits.
Tomato Sauce
Tomatoes are bright in color. They also happen to be acidic. This means that they have the ability to stain the teeth and roughen up the enamel. Tomato sauces are harder on the teeth than the actual tomatoes. They are also found on many favorite foods such as pizza, pasta, and stir fries. If you know that tomato sauce is on the menu, don’t be afraid to rinse your mouth with water after your meal.
Dark Sauces
Soy sauce and other dark pigmented sauces are not friendly when it comes to keeping a smile white. They have the tendency to stain teeth. Once again, a rinse after a meal that contains dark pigmented sauces can go a long way.
One of the best ways to tell if a food would stain your teeth is to ask yourself if that food would stain a napkin. If the answer is yes, then it will most likely also stain your teeth.
We understand that this is an overwhelming thought for many patients but there are also habits you can create to decrease the stains that stick to your teeth. For instance, rinsing after eating any foods that have the potential to stain your teeth is always a great choice. We also recommend you brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once daily. Commit to your oral health and do not skip your bi-annual professional teeth cleaning. Lastly, if your teeth have already been stained and you are looking to bring their vibrancy back, give us a call. We would love to invite you to book an appointment at our clinic so that we can assess your own unique situation. Alternatively, feel free to submit a photo of your teeth to get a detailed quote before you come in! Our team would love to help you gain your confidence back through your smile!
