What causes tooth discoloration, why do meals stain your teeth, and why isn’t your smile more bright? Two of the usual culprits are heredity and aging. The greatest offender, though, may be your diet.
Your daily diet and beverages have a significant impact on the color of your teeth. Although coffee and red wine receive the most attention for discoloring teeth, numerous other, more innocent-looking meals and drinks can also cause significant discoloration. Imagine the things that could stain a white t-shirt or a carpet. They can discolor your teeth as well.
Read on to discover a list of some surprising (and sometimes not so surprising) foods from your everyday diet that can result in enamel discoloration.
1. Tea
Tea is still the top teeth-staining beverage! Both the tannins and the acid content in tea are high, which is a potent formula for discoloring teeth. Generally speaking, the darker your tea is, the greater the chance that it will leave stains on your smile. No matter if you prefer your tea hot or iced, both options might compromise your enamel, ultimately requiring you to schedule teeth cleaning appointment at your local dentistry clinic.
2. White wine
Although white wine won’t stain your teeth as much as red wine does, it still has the potential to do so. There is a lot of acidity and tannin in just a single glass of white wine. Since red and white wine are so acidic, they discolor the protective layer of your teeth. Stains can more easily permeate the tooth’s surface as a result of this. White wine won’t stain your teeth directly, but it will make some meals more likely to do so before, during, or after you drink it.
3. Tomato sauce
Tomatoes’ high levels of acidity, along with their vivid red color, make for an effective enamel-staining combo. If your diet doesn’t contain a lot of tomato sauce, be aware that even the tiniest amounts will compromise your smile. This is true whether the tomato sauce is in soup, pasta sauce, or even the ketchup in your sandwich.
4. Gummy vitamins
While gummy vitamins may be beneficial to your overall health, they’re possibly not so good for your teeth. Gummy vitamins challenge your teeth with three different risks. They are made of citric acid and sugar. Your tooth enamel is weakened by the effects of citric acid, making it more vulnerable to discoloration. However, a tooth’s weakened enamel also makes it more vulnerable to decay, including cavities. There is also the sugar that most gummy vitamins contain. Sugar is a favorite food of bacteria. Hence, these bacteria in your mouth will create more acid.
Increased risk of decay and cavities results from increased softness caused by more acid. Gummies also adhere to teeth, so there’s a potential that some amount will stay in your mouth for a while after you’ve eaten them. Your teeth are more likely to be harmed by sugar and citric acid the longer they remain on your enamel.
5. Curries
Due to two of their brightly colored ingredients—turmeric and saffron—curries are also no slouch when it comes to discoloring teeth. They are vibrant in color and flavor. These pigments can ultimately leave a yellowish tint on your enamel, staining your smile as a result.
6. Sports drinks
These beverages help replace electrolytes and keep you hydrated, but they also compromise your smile. Sports drinks are heavily packed with acids. They can erode the enamel on your teeth, making them more susceptible to stains from other foods or the components of sports drinks. Additionally, these beverages include a significant amount of sugar or artificial sweeteners, which promote decay and oral infections.
7. Fruit juice
Juice may be delicious and healthy, but every glass you consume contains a significant amount of acids that increase the likelihood of your teeth becoming stained. Juice can stimulate the development of the bacteria that cause tooth decay because it contains a lot of sugar. Also, similar to red wine, the darker the juice, the greater the likelihood that it may compromise your enamel.
8. Clear sodas
Consumption of clear sodas can also discolor your enamel. Some dark sodas like Coke are more well known for doing so. Similar to white wine, clear or light sodas won’t immediately stain your teeth, but rather do this over time due to high acidity. Acids in clear sodas soften the tooth enamel, allowing colorants from other foods and drinks to penetrate deep inside your enamel.
9. Balsamic vinegar
Without balsamic vinegar, most salads and marinades wouldn’t taste as good. However, the outer layer of your teeth can be worn down by this flavored vinegar’s strong acidity and dark color.
10. Soy sauce
Soy sauce may give an amazing taste to many Asian dishes, but it also contributes to tooth stains. Since soy sauce has a lot of black colors, it can remain on your teeth for a long time after your meal and stain them.
11. Berries
Berries can be consumed to help you improve your health and live longer. However, berries, as nutritious as they may be, are another food that stains teeth.
12. Beetroot
The health advantages of beetroot are highly recognized, and it is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. But if you’ve ever dealt with beets, you know just how much staining they can be.
13. Sweets
The colorful ingredients in hard candies, gum, popsicles, and other tasty treats frequently discolor teeth. There is a significant risk that your teeth will be impacted if your tongue changes color after you eat some of these.
14. Turmeric
Lots of eastern cuisines rely heavily on the delightfully tasty root spice called turmeric. However, this brightly yellow spice also stains almost everything it comes into contact with, including your pearly whites.
The bottom line
Avoiding most of these tasty foods and drinks would be harsh and incredibly difficult. There are certain steps you can take to lessen the effects of these teeth-staining offenders rather than forsaking them in favor of a dazzling smile.
Don’t forget to brush and floss after eating to help stop stains from forming. However, avoid brushing your teeth for around 30 minutes after having an acidic drink or food. Brushing your teeth too soon after a meal can actually encourage tooth enamel deterioration. That’s because the enamel has already been weakened due to the acidity of the meal or drink you just had.
When it’s convenient, use a straw to drink certain liquids like sodas, iced tea, etc. since the straw will help your teeth avoid contact with substances that may harm them. To help wash out food debris, drink plenty of water before, during, and after eating. Also, always visit your routine dental cleanings.