Many of the food items we consume are colourful. That’s because they contain chemical compounds called chromogens and tannins that are responsible for bringing colour to food and beverages. These compounds promote staining by attracting sugars, carbohydrates and proteins which can stick to the tooth enamel and cause cavities, decay and staining. And once your teeth are staining, you will have no choice but to opt for teeth whitening treatments!
Since prevention is better than cure, you can avoid stains by knowing which foods to stay away from. But how do you know which foods to have and which to avoid to keep your teeth stain-free? Here’s a list of 7 main teeth-staining foods to learn about.
- Tea and coffee
As Indians, we are very fond of hot beverages like tea and coffee. They give us a much-needed respite from our lives and a boost in energy thanks to the caffeine present in them. But, these beverages also contain tannins which can stain teeth.
- Sauces
Sauces like tomato sauce, soya sauce etc., are either really bright or dark. When people consume these sauces frequently, they can cause stains on teeth.
- Sports drinks and carbonated drinks
Sports drinks often contain pigments that heavily colour the drinks. And soda or carbonated drinks like cola also contain sugar and acids that can destroy the enamel of your teeth and attract decay-causing bacteria.
- Dark-coloured berries
Dark-coloured berries like blueberries and raspberries contain pigments that can stick to teeth and cause stains.
- Red wine
Red wine contains a mix of natural pigments, tannins and acids, all of which can directly impact the colour of your tooth enamel and cause staining.
- Candies
Bright coloured candies like gummies, lollies and more contain many artificial colours which cause teeth staining. Additionally many candies contain high amounts of sugar which can eventually cause decay and discolouration too.
- Balsamic Vinegar
Commonly used in dishes all around the world, balsamic vinegar is a dark liquid that is acidic in nature. This acidic nature can erode the teeth enamel and make it susceptible to erosion.
Steps to avoid teeth staining
- Brush your teeth twice a day to avoid teeth staining. Using a good electric toothbrush can brush your teeth better than regular brushes and prevent stains.
- Use a fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash in your oral care routine to fight dull teeth and increase brightness.
- Avoid consuming sugary or starchy food items and always remember to rinse your mouth after consumption.
- Visit the dentist if you are facing any teeth-related issues. Only an expert can check your teeth and confirm if you need braces for teeth, teeth whitening products, a root canal or more.
- Drink more water to flush out food particles, sugar and toxins out of your system and avoid teeth staining.
- Quitting smoking is one of the best things to do if you want to reduce teeth staining. Cigarettes contain tar and nicotine which can cause stains along with other drastic oral health conditions like bad breath, gum disease, delayed healing, tooth loss, and oral cancer.
- Use a straw while drinking beverages like carbonated drinks, cola, black coffee etc to prevent stains.
- Make sure to rinse your mouth with water after consuming staining foods or beverages.
- Check out whitening products or kits like whitening pens, whitening powders, whitening strips etc. For an easy and effective whitening at home, you can choose makeO toothsi spark whitening kit too! This holistic kit contains a whitening pen, a whitening device, a shade card and more. With this kit you can have visibly brighter teeth within 30 minutes! Interested to know more? Visit the makeO toothsi website to buy your first teeth whitening product today!
- And lastly, you can prevent your teeth from staining by avoiding the 7 food and beverage items mentioned above!