4th March 2020
How To Avoid Teeth-staining In Your Diet
There are two factors which people often consider most important when it comes to the appearance of their teeth: positioning and colour. Even with extremely healthy teeth, the fact of the matter is that most people will notice discolouration over time. It can be a direct result of several factors; particularly lifestyle and diet.
So, with that in mind, here’s our guide to why teeth stain and the foods you need to be careful of to prevent it from happening.
Why Do Our Teeth Stain?
Discolouration occurs on our teeth as a result of stain particles building up on the tooth enamel, this residue builds up and eventually discolours the protein there. These stains can occur as a result of life choices (smoking), diet, or as a result of medication–such as tetracycline staining. Staining can occur both on and below the surface of the tooth.
Foods to Avoid
As with many issues, the best prevention when it comes to teeth staining is avoidance. If you can change your lifestyle or diet to avoid known aggravators, then you will have much longer-lasting and naturally white teeth. This is the case for both before and after any potential teeth whitening. Cutting out habits such as smoking will, obviously, also reduce the likelihood of future staining to a large degree.
In terms of foods to avoid, there are a number of food types that should be reduced or removed from your diet to reduce the likelihood of staining:
- Coffee and Tea – though you may need the boost in the morning, your teeth could do without it. Known to cause enamel stains, reducing the caffeine intake in your day to day life could be extremely beneficial.
- Red Wine – the deep red of wine is well-known to stain lips, but it can also do the same to your teeth.
- Fizzy Drinks – sugary drinks contain acid, which can create holes in the surface of your teeth and can make teeth staining worse.
- Tomato Sauce – a household staple, tomato sauce is an extremely sugary product and the red colouring can easily stain your teeth if eaten frequently.
- Curry – curry and other dishes with a rich sauce are delicious, but they can also be a secret danger to the whiteness of your teeth. Adding more vegetables, such as carrots and cauliflower, can help to reduce the effect.
- Berries – though good for you, berries and other fruits can stain your teeth thanks to their dark pigmentation- but don’t forego the fruit though! Below are some useful hints and tips to minimise staining.
Hints and Tips to minimise staining
- Drink lots of water in between consuming these items.
- Consider using a drinking straw for certain high staining drinks.
- The use of sugar fee gum after meals also encourages the flow of beneficial saliva around the mouth.
- Try to brush your teeth thoroughly after eating and drinking the foods listed above.
Teeth Whitening at Dental Solutions
Of course, avoiding foods that stain teeth isn’t always possible in our daily lives. But, even a slight discolouration can make us feel shy or even a little embarrassed about our teeth. For that reason, you may want to consider teeth whitening to help improve the shine of your smile. Get in touch with our team on 01925 756565 or book your initial consultation now.
