Eating and drinking are some of life’s greatest joys until they begin to leave stains on your teeth. So, while it’s good to enjoy your meals, you should be conscious of those that can cause tooth discolouration. Plus, if you need help identifying common foods that stain teeth, here’s a list of what any dentist Dorking offers will tell you:
8 Most Common Teeth-Staining Foods and Drinks
1. Starchy foods
Bread, cereal, pasta, and many other starchy meals help introduce bacteria into the mouth—especially when they get stuck to teeth. Increased bacterial activity means an increased risk of plaque build-up and, consequently, tooth staining.
2. Soy sauce
Dark pigmentation and a knack for sticking to teeth—soy sauce is one cooking ingredient that gives your teeth a new colour. However, it’s pretty easy to get rid of the stain. Just rinse the mouth, and be sure to maintain a healthy oral routine so you don’t become vulnerable.
3. Soda
For sodas, it’s all about the acidic and sugar content. Combining these factors leads to increased bacterial activities on the enamel, causing your teeth to erode and be vulnerable to staining. Excess soda consumption also increases tooth decay, so be careful.
4. Berries
Sweet and juicy, they are, but thanks to their dark pigmentation, they leave your teeth stained for days. Blueberries, blackberries, grapes, and so on – they’re sure to leave your teeth looking like a piece of a rainbow. But they’re too good to discard, so it’s best to rinse the mouth with water immediately after eating them.
5. Curry
Chicken curry and other plates of this dish sound and taste delightful, but the aftermath on the teeth? Not so much. You see, curry dishes contain a deep pigmentation that allows them to penetrate the porous layers of your teeth. As a result, they stain the teeth easily, so brushing immediately after basking in the glory of a plate of curry is always advised.
6. Sweets and Candy
Sweets and candy do more than just stain your teeth; they leave them vulnerable to rotting. When you consume them in excess, bacterial activity increases, leading to the enamel being eaten away. Sweet treats like hard candies, frostings, and so on leave a mark on your teeth, and it’s not a good one.
7. Coffee
As much as a cup of coffee is seen as the emblem of a bright awakening, it’s also a pivotal member of the class of teeth-staining beverages. Firstly, it has a dark hue, which, although pleasing to the eye, increases its staining ability. At the same time, coffee contains a chemical compound called tannins that allows the adhesion of stains to your teeth.
8. Beets
Finally, only a little needs to be said about this class of foods. The fact that they stain your hands while cutting them up should be enough to convince you of their teeth-staining ability. Like many others on this list, brushing or rinsing the mouth is enough to clear the stain.
Conclusion
Proper oral hygiene doesn’t stop at brushing twice daily but extends to watching what you eat, especially sweet and acidic meals. No one is saying you should exclude any of the above-listed foods and drinks from your diet, but you might want to exercise extra caution when indulging in them.