We all want to keep our pearly whites white. Having a bright, white smile is one of the simplest ways to enhance your look and feel more confident. While there are many methods for whitening your teeth, there are also many ways that you may be staining your teeth without even realizing it.
Foods That Stain Teeth
It may seem obvious, but the foods and drinks that you consume can all affect your teeth. Foods and drinks that contain a ton of sugar can lead to cavities or gum disease. Hard foods may cause you to break or chip a tooth. And other foods and drinks can stain your teeth, leaving them less bright and white than you may hope for.
At Brookside Dental Care in Cheyenne, we offer teeth whitening services and can use multiple different methods to give you the pearly white smile you want. We even offer a variety of at-home teeth whitening methods that allow you to improve the brightness of your smile simply and in the comfort of your own home. While we can help you whiten your teeth, we wanted to give you more information about what foods and drinks may be staining your teeth! Read on to learn more.
The Drinks
There are many drinks, which you may drink on a daily basis, that can stain your teeth. After drinking these beverages, you can rinse with water to minimize that amount of stains. You can also drink through a straw to help reduce the amount of staining.
Black Coffee
This beverage is among the worst drinks that can stain your teeth. Since the outer layer of your teeth is very porous, they absorb the dark color of the coffee and can become discolored and darker. You can reduce the impact of coffee stains on your teeth by adding a splash of milk or creamer to lighten up the color.
Red Wine
This dark-colored beverage is another stain causing drink. The dark color can be easily absorbed by the teeth and you may notice an immediate effect. If you love enjoying a glass of wine at night, you can opt for a white or be sure to rinse with water after drinking red wine.
Tea
While tea may seem like it would not cause stains on the teeth, the tannins found in tea cause this beverage to stain as well. Opting for white, green, or herbal teas that are lighter in color can help you avoid some of those stains.
Dark Sodas
Dark sodas can also cause stains on your teeth. The cold temperatures of sodas cause your teeth to contract, making them more porous and more easily stained. The ingredients in sodas are not good for your teeth either, so maybe try to avoid these drinks as much as possible!
Other Beverages
Some other drinks that cause teeth stains include:
- Cranberry juice
- Sports drinks
- Fruit juice
The Foods
There are several foods that can also lead to less white teeth. You can try to avoid these foods to avoid stains or rinse with water to minimize the effect!
Sauces
There are many sauces that can enhance the flavor of your meal but also cause stains on your teeth. These stain-causing sauces include soy, tomato-based, and curry sauces. Balsamic vinegar is another ingredient that can stain your teeth.
Fruit and Berries
While fruits and berries are delicious and healthy for you, the dark pigmentation of these foods can cause stains on your teeth, especially blackberries, blueberries, cherries, and pomegranates. The dark pigments make these fruits more likely to stain teeth.
Beets
Beets are another food that are naturally dark in color. The vibrant red color can cause stains on the teeth. When you consume beets in juice form, it is more concentrated, which makes that the staining properties are higher.
Other Foods
Some of the other foods that can cause stains on your teeth include:
- Chocolate
- Sweets
- Popsicles
Now that you know some of the foods and drinks that can cause stains on your teeth, you can more easily avoid them. However, we know that some of these can be hard to avoid or cut out completely, which is why teeth whitening services are so beneficial! If you need your teeth whitened, be sure to schedule an appointment at Brookside Dental Care in Cheyenne today.