If your Teeth Have Been Looking Dull Lately these 5 Foods and Beverages Might Be Why

June 16, 2022, Pearl Shine Dental Clinic

We all enjoy munching on our favorite snacks, but none of us enjoy dull-looking, yellow teeth. What if we told you that your favorite snacks and drinks might be the reason why you have stains on your teeth? We know the tragedy! But, we all know it is always better to be safe than sorry. Therefore, we have made a list of five foods and drinks that can stain your teeth in this blog.

Tooth-Staining Foods & Drinks

Some of our favorite snacks are the culprits behind those stains on our teeth. We let them in our mouths, and they quite literally leave a mark behind. If your pearly whites have been losing their shine lately, maybe you have been enjoying one of these foods and drinks. Thus, if you regularly consume these foods and drinks, they might be why your teeth are losing their color:

Red Wine

Red wine drinkers, beware; your teeth are paying the actual price for your drink. It is acidic in nature, slowly etching away the tooth enamel as you sip on it. Then, the wine's dark red pigmentation or color sticks to your teeth' surface. Results?  You get stains on your teeth and weakened tooth enamel.

Coffee & Tea

Are you one of those people who live on coffee? Well, it might be slowly eroding your tooth enamel. Coffee and tea both contain tannins, a polyphenol capable of causing color compounds to adhere to the surface of your teeth. However, adding 2% milk to your tea can remarkably lower the chances of it staining your teeth.

Coffee drinkers, it might be the time to limit your coffee intake. Or at least drink it through a straw to avoid coffee from coming in contact with your teeth.

Sweets & Candies

If you have a sweet tooth or just love to eat sweets, it would explain the yellowing of your teeth. Eating sweets regularly can also damage your teeth, forming harmful bacteria. Sweets, particularly the dark variety, can cause minor marks on your teeth. In addition, gummies and hard candies also contain colored dyes that adhere to your tooth’s surface, giving them a dull appearance.

Tomato-based sauces

Do you like adding lots of tomato sauce to your spaghetti? Well, the tomato-based sauce likes sticking to your teeth as well. They are acidic and can penetrate your tooth enamel, leaving stains behind. You can prevent your teeth from staining by rinsing your mouth after eating any meal with a tomato-based sauce. This bright red sauce may seem cheerful and friendly, but maybe it is too friendly, considering it leaves a mark behind.

Berries

Most of us love berries, don’t we? Well, they are stuffed with staining properties. Raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and blackberries ー all stain your teeth. Their acidity, coupled with their staining properties, can dull your pearly whites in every form. Whether you eat them whole, as jam, jelly, or as a juice ー, it tends to stain your teeth.

Tips to Prevent Teeth Staining

You can always reduce stains from forming on your teeth to some extent. Some stains are stubborn and hard to come off, and only a visit to your dentist’s office can get rid of them. However, you can prevent your teeth from getting dull by adhering to the following tips:
Cutting back and limiting the intake of teeth-staining food is the best option.
Knowing what stains your teeth helps you fight them better. After consuming a stain-causing food or drink, make sure to brush and floss your teeth instantly. This way, you can remove the staining particles before they dull your teeth.
It is not always possible to brush your teeth right away. Hence, you can always swirl the water in your mouth to keep the stains at bay. Rinse your mouth with water and swish it over your teeth, washing away some particles.

Coffee, tea, sodas, energy drinks, and dark-colored beverages can stain your teeth. Avoiding them might be difficult, but you can always sip on a straw for minimal contact between them and your teeth.

Visit your dentist for a teeth-whitening procedure. Moreover, you can also ask them for customized home whitening trays to whiten your teeth at home fast.

What’s The Take-Away?

In conclusion, many foods and drinks we enjoy end up being the reason for the discoloration in our teeth. You should know the tooth-staining culprits to deal with this issue better. Red wine, coffee, tea, tomato-based sauces, sweets, candies, and berries are a few of the culprits behind stained teeth. You may not be able to avoid them, but it is always better to practice precautions to reduce the stains. If your teeth refuse to let go of the stains, visit your dentist for an in-office procedure and consultation. If you are looking for a dentist in Houston, Texas, our dental experts at Briar Forest Dental Group are always here to help, just a few digits away at 713-784-4430.

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