Foods that Stain Your Teeth
A multitude of the foods and beverages we consume everyday can lead to tooth stains. Darkly pigmented molecules in certain foods are prone to sticking to your teeth and forming stains. Some foods that do not contain these colorful pigments can still lead to tooth stains by weakening tooth enamel. Acidic foods and beverages can strip away enamel, leaving your teeth more vulnerable to other stain-causing foods.
Teeth-Staining Foods
There are many different acidic and colorful foods that can cause teeth stains. Yellow, discolored teeth can be effectively brightened with teeth whitening, even if these stains come from years of consuming these foods and beverages. Some of the top teeth-staining foods are:
• Beets
• Candy
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Pomegranates
• Cherries
Certain sauces can stain teeth as well, including tomato, curry and soy sauce, as well as balsamic vinaigrette.
Like food, there are also quite a few beverages that can stain your teeth, including:
• Red wine
• Tea
• Coffee
• Fruit juice
• Sports drinks
• Soda
Generally, any food or beverage that can stain light-colored clothing can stain your teeth.
Cosmetic Dentistry for Stained Teeth
The stains from what we eat and drink can be removed with treatments from your dentist. Teeth whitening and porcelain veneers are both effective ways to brighten your smile. Porcelain veneers are a thin layer of porcelain placed on the front surface of your tooth, concealing any stains or other visible imperfections.
There are a variety of teeth whitening products available today. You can receive teeth whitening at a dentist's office, or the dentist may provide you with customized whitening trays to take home. There are also numerous over-the-counter teeth whitening kits available at grocery stores and drugstores.
Typically, a professional, in-office teeth whitening by your dentist will yield the most immediate and high-quality teeth whitening results. Your dentist can ensure all surfaces of your teeth are whitened evenly and with the strongest whitening agents. Take-home whitening trays provided by your dentist are customized to your teeth, but can take up to two weeks before results are visible. Over-the-counter kits tend to provide varied and mediocre results.
Obviously we cannot avoid every food that causes stains. In fact, many stain-causing foods contain vitamins and minerals that are an important part of a healthy diet.
Some of the ways you can prevent stains from food and beverages include:
• Brush your teeth after every meal.
• If you don't have your toothbrush, rinse your mouth with water.
• Drink beverages with a straw.
• Do not sip drinks over an extended period of time.
You may also want to consider cutting back on certain foods, such as candy, to prevent teeth stains.