Drinks That Stain Our Teeth

Drinks That Stain Our Teeth

There is a love-hate relationship with drinks that stain our teeth. We all love our teas, coffees and fruity juices, but when it comes to the whiteness of our teeth it is something we should watch out for. In moderation and with the right knowledge, we can learn how to eliminate staining drinks that are bad for us, and learn to work with staining drinks that nourish our bodies while minimizing their effect on our teeth.

Tea

Tea contains teeth staining astringents called tannins which stain teeth. The light yellow to medium brown shade of tea can stain them overtime, especially considering the frequency at which most people drink tea.

Coffee

Coffee is an obvious one, and one which most people are well aware of. If you are a coffee addict, consider rinsing your mouth or brushing your teeth right after drinking it. Coffee contains tannins just like tea, and changes the pH balance in your mouth, making acidic foods stick more easily to your teeth. This can cause damage and deterioration much faster, leading to sensitivity and cavities.

Wine

Wine is one of the teeth staining culprits, containing tannins just like tea and coffee. It can make teeth turn a grey hue, rather than yellow, but the antioxidants in wine are actually good for your health. In moderation, wine doesn’t have to be something you completely cut out of your diet.

Fruit & Vegetable Juices

Juices or even raw fruits like blackberries and blueberries are incredibly potent in colour and very staining to the teeth. Due to their healthy nature, we don’t suggest cutting them out of your diet, rather responding to them but rinsing your mouth with water or brushing your teeth after consumption.

Soda

Soda and other sugary drinks give the bacteria in your mouth opportunity to feed off of the sugar. This makes them grow in numbers and release acids that are damaging to your teeth, resulting in cavities and deteriorated enamel. We suggest cutting these out of your diet as they don’t have a positive effect on your health like staining fruits do.

Get in touch with City Dental Centre if you wish to inquire about teeth whitening and how we can help you begin good habits with staining foods and drinks. Drinks that stain our teeth don’t have to scare us away from enjoying them.