10 Foods to Avoid to Prevent Stains on Teeth
A pearly white smile goes a long way – it boosts confidence, makes us feel good about ourselves, and clean teeth are good for your overall oral health. Unfortunately, maintaining sparkling white teeth can be difficult. The best way to prevent stains on teeth is to eat and drink the right foods.
Visiting a reputable dentist, like Dentrix, is pivotal if you’re interested in quick results. But generally speaking, taking care of your teeth is all about adopting preventative measures into your daily routine.
With that in mind, check out the following ten foods you can consume less to prevent chronic staining on your teeth.
Black Coffee
If you’re a coffee drinker, this will be a tough one to give up on. However, it’s also a leading cause of teeth yellowing. This beverage is one of the worst when it comes down to keeping your teeth white. Some great alternatives that don’t require giving it up completely are drinking it less often throughout the week and adding some milk to lighten it up.
Tea
You may be thinking if you make the switch from coffee to tea, this will fix the problem. Not exactly. Tea is also a teeth stainer because of its tannins. On the bright side, there are tea options such as green, herbal, or white tea that are lighter in color. Avoid darker teas like Earl Grey or English Breakfast.
Red Wine
Yes, a glass of red wine may be good for your heart. However, it’s not too great for your smile! This is no surprise since wine is so difficult to get out of clothes. Also, right after drinking it, your teeth reflect that cherry color. The simple solution to this is switching to white wine or, if you absolutely love red wine, brushing your teeth after drinking.
Sodas & Juices
Coca-Cola is another beverage you want to look out for (along with other dark sodas) as it has teeth staining properties. Along with the color of the drink, the temperature is equally important. When your soda is too cold, your teeth contract, making them more vulnerable to stains.
Cranberry juice is another drink that will stain your pearly whites. Any juices with acids and concentrated, dark colors are going to lead to yellowing. Quick solutions are drinking other beverages like water or sipping these drinks with a straw to avoid contact with teeth as much as possible.
Blueberries
So, we’ve covered beverages, now what are some foods that you should avoid? We are going to start with blueberries. While this fruit is a superfood full of antioxidants, the dark blue color stains teeth. Because you don’t want to get rid of this healthy option, consider rinsing your mouth after eating blueberries. This will do the trick.
Tomato Sauce
Yes, we are talking about all those delicious pasta dishes like spaghetti! Anything tomato based is prone to stain your smile. This one is very sad news for pizza, lasagne, or pasta lovers. A nice alternative is trying white wine sauce instead of tomato sauce.
Fun fact: if you eat some broccoli or spinach beforehand, you’ll form a protective barrier over your pearly whites. This film will protect your smile, so the sauce doesn’t seep into your teeth pores.
Beets
Eating beets or drinking them in juice form leads to yellowing. Anyone who’s ever tried beets understands how concentrated this vegetable is. Immediately after eating them, brush your teeth to avoid stains and yellowing. Follow this simple practice with the above as well.
Popsicles
Yes, you heard right! We are talking about those refreshing treats we all eat on a hot summer day. Popsicles stain your tongue and lips – you can expect this treat to stain your teeth as well. If you must have one, we encourage you to go for a light flavour like lemon or orange as opposed to a dark, grape Popsicle.
Soy Sauce
If you’re a fan of Chinese and Japanese foods you may not be too thrilled about this teeth staining food. Soy sauce is a huge contributor to teeth stains because of its dark appearance. It is also very concentrated, which increases the chance of a stain being left behind. Not only is this a teeth staining food but it is also very high in sodium. We encourage you to use soy sauce sparingly.
Balsamic Vinegar
Last but not least is an ingredient that we add to our salads: balsamic vinegar. While this is a healthy alternative to Caesar or ranch dressings, the dark color has the potential to stain your pearly whites. Balsamic vinegar is naturally acidic, which means it will stick to your teeth. A good alternative is light vinegar instead.
Additional Ways to Keep Your Smile Bright And Avoid Stains on Teeth
Along with eating the right foods, you want to practice healthy dental habits. Of course, the most important one is brushing your teeth daily. You want to brush, floss, and rinse your mouth at least twice every day. This will help fight plaque, a large contributor to stains.
Additionally, whenever you are drinking a beverage that isn’t water we suggest you use a straw. You’ll avoid the drink surfacing on your teeth (at least the front areas that are visible).
You’ll want to visit your dental provider at least two times a year. They will give you a professional cleaning and let you know of any problems if necessary. While you’re there, you can ask your dentist which options are available for getting rid of already existing stains. They may recommend teeth whitening or bleaching.
This brings us to the end of our guide. We hope this short post has helped you become aware of the foods you need to eliminate or substitute from your diet if you want a white smile all year round! And remember, good dental hygiene is just as important for maintaining a beautiful, healthy looking smile. They really go hand in hand!