Tooth enamel is porous, so stains and plaque from food and drinks can easily form on it. Bright foods stain teeth, but it is important to pay attention to the acidity level of food. Foods with a high acid content soften tooth enamel and make it vulnerable to coloring agents. We will tell you what food should be eaten with care if you want to keep your teeth dazzling white.
Food That Takes Away Teeth Whiteness
Let’s discuss the external influences that cause our teeth to become yellow. These include the food we put in our mouth and thereby trigger the process of changing the color of the teeth:
1-Tea And Coffee
Tea and coffee are doubly dangerous for a snow-white smile. They are rich not only in coloring substances – tannins but also in acids. Lemon juice can save the day: add a few drops to a cup of drink to neutralize the effects of coloring pigments. And don’t forget to rinse your mouth after coffee and tea.
2-Wine
Wine contains plant pigments that give it a red color during maceration. They are also responsible for the appearance of grey plaque on the teeth. Moreover, teeth darken from both expensive and cheap wines. Not only teeth health, but alcoholic drinks are also harmful to the whole body.
Doctors in alcohol recovery programs mention that most of the addicts have yellow teeth. More the consumption of alcohol, the yellower the color of teeth will be. Avoid grape varieties such as Malbec and pinotage. They have stronger coloring power.
3-Fruit And Berry Juices
Fruit and berry juices and fruit drinks, especially dark ones – pomegranate, grape, and tomato – are dangerous for the whiteness of the enamel. Surprisingly, fresh berries and fruits have this property to a lesser extent. The secret is that when we chew them, the saliva washes away the coloring pigment, and it does not have time to eat into the pores of the enamel.
4-Beet Root
Beetroots are rich in chromogens – substances that have a coloring effect. It does not mean that you need to stop eating a super-healthy vegetable. Just try to rinse your mouth immediately after eating, and also do not eat beets immediately after bleaching or installing new fillings.
5-Carrot
On the one hand, carrots are very good for teeth, and on the other hand, they are one of the worst enemies of white enamel. The reason is the same – chromogens, which are abundant in carrots. If you don’t want your teeth to turn yellow, be sure to rinse your mouth after eating.
6-Soya Sauce, Vinegar, And Ketchup
Try not to overdo it with flamboyant dressings – opt for rice or grape vinegar and other neutral-colored sauces instead. Not many people know how ketchup can change the teeth color. Soya sauce, vinegar, and ketchup are the most common causes of yellow teeth.
7-Multicolored Lollipops And Marmalade
All bright sweets contain artificial colors that leave colored plaque on the teeth. Ideally, it is better to give up these confectionery products altogether. There is no benefit in them, but there is a lot of sugar, which is also not useful. Well, at least choose sweets of light shades that do not paint the enamel so much.
8-Carbonated Drinks And Energy Drinks
Almost all of them contain dyes, as well as aggressive phosphoric acid. Because of this, the frequent use of soda and energy drinks leads to discoloration of tooth enamel – microcracks form in it, where dyes from drinks and food can easily penetrate.
9-Curry And Turmeric
Bright Indian spices leave an ugly yellow plaque on the teeth. Therefore, after eating, do not forget to rinse your mouth well or drink a cup of green tea with lemon – the drink will reduce the effect of dyes on your teeth.
10-Medicines
Some medications can also stain teeth. Especially dangerous are iron preparations, which leave grey plaque on the teeth. Vitamin-mineral complexes, especially colored ones, should be drunk with caution.
Tooth Color And Health
Teeth color can change as a result of internal or external staining. When we talk about an internal change in the color of teeth, they mean some kind of global impact on human health in general or disease of dental tissues. For instance:
- Hereditary Reasons: At the same time, brown and black stripes and spots on the surface of the teeth develop, which are associated with congenital disorders of the formation of dentin and enamel.
- Metabolic reasons: For example, erythropoietin porphyria.
- Treatment-related factors: Fluorides cause teeth to become white, yellow, black, or grey. The antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline can also cause tooth discoloration: blue, black, yellow, brown, or grey.
- Injuries: Blood penetrating deep into the tissues of the tooth gives it a pinkish tint.
Dentists also distinguish the so-called internalized staining. It is when a change in the color of a tooth occurs due to chromogens entering it through cracks, chips, and other defects.
How To Keep Beautiful Teeth?
- Coloring drinks can be drunk through a straw. This minimizes their contact with the teeth.
- Use sugar-free gum to neutralize acids in your mouth.
- Beans, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables increase salivation and act as a “scrub” for teeth. They remove all harmful substances from their surfaces.
- Plain apple, broccoli, and other raw, hard vegetables and fruits help get rid of plaque, which makes teeth dull.
And, of course, you should carefully observe dental hygiene:
– Rinse your mouth after eating.
– Brush your teeth twice a day. But if you are going to brush your teeth after a cup of coffee or other drinks containing acids, then it is better to wait half an hour. Acids soften the enamel, and after 30 minutes it begins to harden, and the brush will not be dangerous for it.
– Don’t neglect dental floss.
Summing Up
We all want a bright smile. It adds plus points to our personality and makes us more confident. By knowing which foods can make our beautiful teeth yellow, we can avoid eating them. Have a bright smile!
