Teeth Whitening Facts: Foods that Stains Your Teeth and a Simple Solution

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Many of us want to achieve a celebrity’s sparkling whiter teeth. I am really one of them and because of my desire to have whiter mouth gems; I undergo teeth whitening in Makati.

Minutes passed by and the process is a success. I’m really happy about the results. I thought that the treatment is already done, and to my surprise, my dentist in Makati requested me to stay for couple of minutes as he has something to teach me about teeth whitening.

The mini lecture kicks and my dentist start elaborating foods that stains teeth which may lead to discoloring. Below I list the foods that may stain our little gems.

Tea

Tea is a healthy drink but may not be the best choice for keeping your teeth white. He said that brew can cause more stains than coffee. Herbal and white teas can wear away the outer covering of the teeth called enamel and cause stains too.

Sauces

They may be tasty but deeply colored sauces also cause stains. Switch to light colored or creamy sauces and brush and rinse after eating

Sports Drinks

Acidic foods and drinks can also affect the teeth. Sports or energy drink can erode enamel, setting the stage for stains. Drinking water during workouts or activities is a better choice.

Wine

If a food and drink can stain a tablecloth, it can stain teeth too. It’s no surprise that red wine will discolor teeth. But white wine, which has even more acid, also can.

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, cherries and other vibrant fruits can stain teeth as well as can juices and pies made from them. These have acid that can hurt your enamel, so brush and floss after eating them.

Carbonated Drinks

These drinks can lead to serious stains. Plus, the chemicals that add flavor can also eat way your enamel.

Candy and Sweets

If you notice, your favorite sweet makes your tongue change colors; it can also stain your teeth. The good news is that unless you eat those goodies often, they probably won’t do much harm.

Upon hearing these things, I am really overwhelmed and I asked my dentist if I should I avoid taking in all of these? Fortunately he said not really. Here are the tips he said to lessen the effect of stain when eating these foods.

Lessen Stains: Cut Back

We do not want to cut all teeth-staining food and drinks. Many of them are rich in anti-oxidants, so keep eating them, but ease up a bit for other sources like cauliflower, apples, grape and melon.

Use a Straw

Sip stain-causing drinks like sodas, juices and teas through a straw. This should keep the liquid away from your teeth.

Swallow Swiftly

Don’t let stain-causing foods and drinks linger in your mouth. Swallow them. When it comes to food, chew it well and don’t gulp to make sure you don’t choke.

Rinse, Brush, After Eating

Swish your mouth with water right after you eat or drink something that can stain. Wait an hour before you brush after eating something with acid because any sooner could hurt the enamel on your teeth. If you can get to your toothbrush, chew a piece of sugarless gum as soon as you’ve eaten

Dentist said that I simply wash my mouth after eating or drinking these foods if I can’t resist eating them. He also said that teeth whitening don’t stop at the clinic. It is a continuous process, watching our food and liquid intake as well as maintaining good dental hygiene.

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