Foods That Stain Teeth: What to Avoid for a Brighter Smile?

A lot of people try to maintain a bright, white smile, but it’s not easy because of foods that stain teeth. We all are familiar with the fact that coffee and red wine are the worst enemies of a white smile, besides there are plenty of other kinds of food we consume every day that can also be the cause of teeth discoloration and hence, oral health problems.

Knowing those foods will help you to choose wisely and eventually get an attractive, healthier look. In the following sections, we will deal with the kinds of food you should stay away from to keep your teeth white, why they have such action and finally, how you can prevent staining and not give up on your food preferences.

Why Are Some Foods Staining Teeth?

Some foods and drinks are big in chromogens (colored particles that adhere to the enamel’s layer). The pigments may eventually go through the enamel and lead to discoloration that will ultimately render your teeth opaque and less bright.

Moreover, some foods with a high acidity level are one of the culprits in the avocado staining problem. At the same time, acid is a softener of the enamel, and when it is in intimate contact with a highly pigmented substance, foods that stain teeth.

Foods That Commonly Stain Teeth

Berries and Fruit Juices

Foods that stain teeth: chocolate and flower seeds. Although they include anthocyanins and vitamins, blueberries, blackberries, and pomegranates are still the raw of a dark hue.

The fruits are rich in natural acids and colorful dyes that can be attached to tooth enamel, which will lead to the creation of a stain the more you consume them. Also, you better be careful with citrus fruits or fruit juices that you consume frequently (e.g., cranberry and pomegranate) as they can also be the culprits of the discoloration.

Coffee and Tea

They are not  foods that stain teeth but they do stain the teeth too. Coffee and tea are two of the worst offenders with regard to teeth discoloration. Their tannins are the primary discoloration agents. Tannins are natural coloring agents from plants that adhere colors to the tooth surface. Be it a whole cup of black coffee in the morning or strong tea, these are the drinks that are mostly pointed at as the cause of brown or yellow coloration of the teeth.

Red Wine

Again some drinks that stain teeth. Red wine has tannins, acids, and strong pigments together that can stain the teeth. The huge number of antioxidants that our body gets due to the regular use of this drink is very good for the health of a person. Anyway, the color of the red wine is very dark and like this, it will be easier to stain your teeth straight away. Even if it’s just a rare glass of the wine, a mouth rinse is advanced for teeth whitening.

Soy Sauce and Balsamic Vinegar

Some invisible common foods that stain teeth: Different kinds of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and many other dark sauces are a kind of condiment that can be a source of teeth-staining. They give the rich flavor of your food but they are also rich in dark pigments that can cling to your teeth and cause discoloration. These sauces if used consistently can be a problem as the enamel becomes more noticeable due to staining.

Curries and Sauces with Turmeric

The presence of curry in your food can introduce yellow pigment to the teeth thus staining them. The bright yellow and sharp aroma of turmeric definitely comes from the strong pigment that it contains, this being able to hold on to the surface of teeth. The regular meal of curry and turmeric-incorporated food will make it very difficult to take out the deposits of stains on the tooth.

Soda and Carbonated Drinks

Despite foods that stain teeth, soda and carbonated drinks stain the teeth.The very dark sodas such as cola and root beer succeed in destroying your teeth, as the acids in them are so aggressive, while they also contain a loading of dyes that are good. But the still darker ones are the ones which also turn out to be acidic. Everything from grape sodas, orange sodas to the clear ones that seem so harmless, when taken over a period, can make teeth get yellow due to the softening of the teeth.

Citrus fruits are the pioneer of the Vitamin C team like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, they are of extreme importance because not only are they the main source of vitamin c to the body but they also heal and protect the enamel from an acidic attack.

How to minimize the food causing the discoloration?

It is important to know  foods that stain teeth but the great thing is you can still enjoy the flavors of the foods and drinks that you love and at the same time keep your teeth white. There are some things you can do to lessen the effect of dyeing:

• Rinse with water: Gargle with water every time that you eat or drink something that might dye your teeth. This way, you will be able to easily remove any pigment or acid that has been left after your meal.
• Oral Hygiene After Every Meal: If you can, it is very important to brush your teeth following eating or drinking anything that might stain your teeth. It is required to wait for at least 30 minutes after consuming sour foods or drinks before brushing because the tooth enamel is softened and is more susceptible to attrition right after the exposition to the acid.
• Professional Cleanings: Whatever efforts you put in to prevent the intake of discoloration-producing foods, it is still necessary that you visit the dentist for dental cleanings regularly in order to keep your teeth free of the unsightly enamel stains.
• Bleaching Products: If you worry about the foods that stain, you can use the best whitening toothpaste that would enhance the color of your teeth and also, there are several methods for the dentist to lighten the teeth if necessary to keep it white, healthy and bright.
• Get a Straw: A practical way to reduce the amount of liquids that get into your teeth is the use of a straw not only when drinking coffee, tea, or soda. This small action will help decrease the possibility of discoloration of your teeth.
• Chewing Gum with a Mint Flavor: One of the best solutions after a meal is to chew gum as it is well known that this activity will encourage saliva to flow and so one not only feels the acid being neutralized but also the food being washed away. This is, therefore, beneficial news to people especially those consuming acidic or coloured edibles.

FAQs About Foods That Stain Teeth