Do you want to have whiter teeth for a brighter smile? If so, you might want to consider avoiding foods that stain teeth. But what exactly are these?
Teeth staining food doesn’t mean it leaves marks and color in your mouth. Instead, it refers to those with pigments or content that causes stains in the long run.
The question is, what are they? Here are four common foods that could stain your teeth.
1. Tea and Coffee
Tea and coffee are common drinks that stain teeth because they contain a similar compound called tannins. It causes color compounds to stick to teeth, causing these dark-colored drinks to make their mark.
Compared to coffee, you can reduce how much tea can stain your teeth by adding milk. Aside from lightening the color, a specific protein in milk helps reduce the effect of tea when it comes to teeth staining.
But note that tea usually leaves color more than coffee, especially the black varieties. Moreover, the amount it stains depends on the content rather than the drink’s actual color.
2. Berries and Fruit Juice
Dark berries, such as blackberries, pomegranates, and others, contain dark pigmentation that can result in a tooth stain.
Their particles can go through your tooth enamel’s pores and remain there. So if you have high tooth porosity, your teeth will stain quicker.
It also explains why you get discolored teeth when you drink juices made from dark fruits. For example, you might see purple tints after having grape juice.
Although brushing your teeth can help the effects of fruits in such a case, there are times that the stain is just hard to remove and brushing won’t just work anymore. If that happens, you can consider teeth whitening for faster results.
3. Tomato-based Sauce
Most recommend avoiding tomato-based food or sauces to reduce teeth stains. It means you should refrain from consuming them continuously within short periods of time.
Generally, tomato sauces are bright in color. But what makes them teeth staining food is their level of acidity.
A quick tip to reduce the sauce’s impact on your teeth is to rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth after consuming food with this sauce. You can also consider lighter-colored or creamy sauces.
4. Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated drinks, like energy drinks or dark soda, can color teeth due to the amount of acid it contains. These break down tooth enamel, making them prone to stains.
The higher the drink’s acid level, the more it weakens the enamel. Besides coloring, it could also show the teeth’s dentin, which is usually a dark-yellow shade.
Most recommend limiting the amount of carbonated drinks you consume. Doing so can also improve your health by reducing weight gain, skin aging, and other possible diseases.
Avoid Foods That Stain Teeth for a Brighter Smile
You can improve the color of your teeth by monitoring what you eat and drink. Knowing more about foods that stain teeth helps you limit and reduce your intake of these. At the same time, it lets you know when it’s best to rinse and brush your teeth. Be sure to visit a dental expert like this dentist in Carmel Valley CA too for a teeth whitening treatment if necessary.
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James Martin is a passionate writer and the founder of OnTimeMagazines & EastLifePro. He loves to write principally about technology trends. He loves to share his opinion on what’s happening in tech around the world.
