Foods that Stain your Teeth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 27, 2010 -- http://www.rivertowndental.com

At Rivertown Dental Associates, we offer in-office cosmetic tooth whitening procedures that our patients around West Michigan have enjoyed. Whether you’ve had your teeth professionally whitened or you simply want to maintain the appearance of your teeth as they are, it is valuable to know what foods will stain teeth to avoid the need for more whitening treatment. There are quite a few foods and drinks that tend to discolor your teeth. It isn’t necessary to avoid these foods altogether, however, trying to limiting their intake and washing or brushing after consuming these foods can make a big difference.

Coffee

There is nothing like a hot cup of coffee to start your morning. Coffee however has quite a discoloring effect on your teeth. Also, because of its availability in most offices and on most street corners, it tends to be addicting leading to increased staining potential. Next time you go to the local Grand Rapids Starbucks or Biggby Coffee, request that your coffee come with a straw. This limits the exposure of coffee to your front teeth. Another solution is to brush your teeth more frequently. Keep a toothbrush available at work to brush after lunch and chew sugarless gum after coffee intake.

Red wine
Red wine contains tannins and polyphenols that stain your teeth. The alcohol in red wine is very acidic and thus it wears down the enamel of the teeth. Even though it may seem like a good idea to brush your teeth immediately after consuming red wine, don’t do it! Dental enamel is very vulnerable to abrasion from tooth brushing for up to 30 minutes after the consumption of acidic foods or beverages. Rather, rinse your mouth out with water and consider chewing sugarless gum.

Tea

Like wine, the ordinary black tea most people drink is rich in stain-promoting tannins. In contrast to coffee, tea has some alternatives such as green, white and herbal teas. These are, in fact, good for your teeth. So avoiding stained teeth by tea is as simple as switching to teeth friendly alternatives.

Soy Sauce
Soy sauce forms an integral part of Asian food and adds great flavor to a variety of dishes. Unfortunately, it contains strong staining agents and the sauce tends to stick to the teeth. This allows for staining pigments to penetrate deeper in to the teeth.

Curry

It’s spicy, hot and tasty but comes with its own demerits as well. The herbs and spices used in Indian curries are very likely to impart strong stains on your teeth. Next time you’re enjoying delicious Indian cuisine, consider drinking plenty of water with your food besides brushing teeth and chewing sugarless gum soon after.

Cola
Cola drinks not only stain and discolor your teeth but also erode enamel and cause tooth decay due to the harmful phosphoric acid, citric acid and sugar content in them. These are often served chilled which causes the enamel to become more vulnerable to staining. Similar to coffee, minimize the staining effect of cola by drinking it through a straw.

Using these techniques, we hope that you are able to conserve your beautiful smile. Dr. Michael J. Crete and Rivertown Dental Associates are available if you have more questions about your oral health or would like to see if an in-office teeth whitening procedure is right for you. Call us today or set up a dentist appointment at our Grandville, MI dental office today!

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