10 Foods & Drinks that Stain Your Teeth

You will spend countless hours during your lifetime at the dentist with a hygienist trying to remove food stains and build up from your teeth. Did you know that there are several common foods that stain your teeth much more than others? However, I do want to add that most of these items of choice are good for your health, so moderation is definitely key here. If you have questions, we can answer them at our Kennewick dental office.

1. Wine

When you think of stain and wine, you probably are thinking the red wine you have in your wine cooler. Well, you are correct. Red wine can discolor your teeth. Wine is actually very acidic and even softens your enamel. However, it is recommended that if you do drink wine you shouldn’t brush your teeth right after because you may cause more damage to your already softened enamel. To not further damage your enamel, you should rinse your mouth with water after finishing your wine and wait about 30 minutes or so to brush your teeth.

2. Coffee

Almost everyone loves coffee. You probably know that coffee stains your teeth. It has actually been proven by science. Research says that your morning cup of caffeine also has some health benefits. Coffee is the main source of antioxidants throughout America. If you want to enjoy your morning cup of coffee, just remember that you should brush your teeth with a soft-bristle tooth brush when you finish.

3. Sports Drinks

You’ve probably had sports drinks at some point in your life. You know, those drinks that come in a variety of colors. Well, steer clear of the darker colors because they will stain your teeth full of acid and sugar. Just like wine, they will soften the enamel. When drinking these drinks, you shouldn’t brush your teeth right after. Drink a glass of water and wait 30 minutes, then brush your teeth.

4. Curry

I’ll let you in on a little secret: turmeric gives the curry that beautiful yellow color, which also gives you that color for your teeth. Yup, turmeric is partially to blame for your yellow teeth if you love curry. If you add in some nice leafy greens, that will help protect your smile. However, you should brush your tongue and teeth right after eating curry. This doesn’t mean you should avoid turmeric at all cost because researchers believe it helps protect you against a few cancers.

5. Blueberries

Blueberries are a great source of antioxidants, so they are good for your diet. However, the color of the fruit, along with raspberries and blackberries, are among the fruits that stain your teeth. Not to mention, they can stain your clothes too. However, it is wise that you brush your teeth after eating so you do not walk around with dark-colored teeth.

6. Tea

Tea seems innocent enough. Water flavored by leaves, what could be lighter than that? But tea can actually be worse than coffee when it comes to staining teeth. This surprising fact is due to the elevated levels of chromogen and low levels of tannins. Black tea is the worst. Green and white tea won’t stain as much.

7. Balsamic Vinegar

Again, healthy foods for your body are not also healthy foods for your teeth. Any salad with balsamic vinegar-based dressing can wreck your smile because the balsamic vinegar sticks to your teeth and discolors it over time.

8. Soy Sauce

Berries, salads, sushi… why can’t anything good for your body also be good for your teeth? If you’re dipping your sushi in a lot of soy sauce, take sips of your drink between each bite to wash the dark sauce off your teeth.

9. Tomato Sauce

The red color stands out, and also there are acids in the tomato that can cut through enamel and set some nasty stains. If you eat some spinach before the spaghetti, you can add a layer of temporary protection and mitigate the damage done by a heavy dose of tomato sauce.

10. Orange Juice

Any fruit juice, with its bright colors and sticky residue it leaves in the mouth after a sip, is bad for the color of your teeth. Citrus juices, the most popular orange juice, are particularly bad because of the acids.

There are a few ways to limit the discoloration from orange juice, or other beverages that stain, like soda, wine, and coffee. You can use a straw, which allows you to transport the liquid from your cup right to your tongue and down your throat without making any contact with your teeth. Another technique is not to let staining foods linger in your mouth, swallowing whatever you got as fast as you can. It’s an easy enough method for liquids, but make sure you don’t choke when you try it with food.

This does not mean you should not eat or drink any of these items because, quite frankly, these items are a good source to your diet. However, it is wise to follow the steps for brushing your teeth when consuming them to make sure your teeth stay sparkling white. If your teeth are already stained, see us at our Tri-Cities dental office to get your teeth back to being white.