Everyone wants to look in the mirror and be happy about the face that’s staring back. While you should never have a reason to feel self-conscious, many patients at our East Highland dental office are uncomfortable that there are lasting stains on their teeth. If something keeps your pearly whites from being white, you may want to reach out to your dentist ASAP. Let’s look at those foods that stain your teeth.
Foods that Stain Your Teeth
Most of the time, the foods and drinks you consume can be the culprits. Darker, more internal stains can come from physical injury or disease. Most of the yellow or brown stains you find on your teeth are external stains that grow due to whatever you’re putting in your mouth. Let’s take a look at the top foods that stain your teeth.
Tomato Sauce
Anything that comes from tomatoes is bound to stain your teeth. There is a rich, dark-colored acid in tomatoes that will immediately darken your teeth. Tomatoes, sauce, salsa, and anything rich in this delicious and sweet fruit will create dark stains on your teeth if you do not brush them right away. Make sure you take care of your teeth if you know you are about to eat some pasta sauce or tomato slices.
Sugary Drinks
Sodas, fruit juices, and dark teas can all do some pretty serious damage to your mouth. Fruit juice may offer some health benefits from the fresh fruits that go into it, but there are dark pigments that can easily stain your teeth. Furthermore, citrus fruits contain a powerful acid that can break down your enamel, which is the outermost layer of your teeth. Sodas are not only dangerous because they darken your teeth, but also because they contain a ton of artificial sweeteners that cause infection and decay.
Soy Sauce
You love to put it on rice, stir fry, and sushi, but it can have a detrimental impact on your teeth. It tastes delicious because of the high amounts of sodium found in a single bottle of soy sauce. This sodium, combined with the dark pigments that make up the sauce, can stick around on the surface of your teeth. This is what causes them to darken over time. A good rule of thumb to remember is that if sauce can stain your clothes, it is likely staining your teeth as well.
Coffee
If you are like most adult Americans, you drink at least one cup of coffee or tea in the morning. These caffeinated drinks can surely help us get through the beginning of our day, but we should give our pearly whites a break every so often. Coffee and tea have the propensity to discolor your teeth, which will look worse and worse over time. Try switching to green tea over white or black tea to reduce the risk of staining.
Berries
You can’t hold blueberries in your hand without getting a little bit of purple fruit juice stained on your skin. Berries are so rich in antioxidants and other vitamins that are healthy for the body, but also rich in pigment. Berries bleed easily, meaning they will stain just about anything. You don’t need to reduce your berry intake, but you should definitely brush your teeth immediately after eating something with so much fruit juice.
Get Your Teeth Bright and White Again!
At East Highland Dental, we offer the most innovative and successful solutions to help you get rid of the worst stains on your teeth. If your teeth have become dark or yellow due to the foods you eat, visit us to learn more about teeth whitening in Highland. Call us today for a customized treatment plan!