Indulging in foods that stain your teeth is hard to avoid. Whether coffee, chocolate, or a healthy berry smoothie, foods and drinks associated with relaxation - and even health! - can be primary culprits for staining teeth. While many teeth-staining foods and drinks provide absolutely zero nutritional value and should be avoided altogether, many healthy food and beverage choices make the top of the list for foods and drinks that lead to discoloration. In fact, foods rich in pigment and naturally acidic or sugary content are widely known to provide positive health benefits, but the impact on oral and dental health is not as widely considered. Many of these foods, as a result of their natural properties, can affect the integrity and brightness of your smile.

Read on to learn which foods and drinks are the worst culprits for staining teeth. Understand what causes teeth staining. And follow a few helpful tips for protecting your teeth from discoloration so that you can continue enjoying the right foods without fear of dull or yellow teeth!

Foods and Drinks That Stain Your Teeth

Chocolate

Chocolate contains tannins, which are acidic polyphenols that can cause staining. The tannins in dark chocolate (the healthiest form of chocolate) are responsible for its slightly bitter taste and dark color and can cause staining if you choose to regularly indulge in large quantities.

However, avoiding chocolate is not necessary. Practicing proper oral hygiene, like brushing your teeth after snacking on chocolate, can help prevent discoloration and staining.

Coffee, Tea, and Wine

Coffee, tea, and red wine are particularly famous drinks that stain teeth. All three of these drinks contain the same tannins found in chocolate, meaning all three drinks have natural tooth-staining properties. Which drink is the worst culprit? A good rule of thumb is: the darker the drink, the more tannins that it contains. More tannins equals more staining.

Of the three beverages, coffee and red wine can be harshest on your teeth. In addition to tannins, some red wines also contain dyes leading to tooth staining. Consider switching to white wine to avoid discoloration of your teeth. Or enjoy your glass of red wine with a meal and brush immediately after in order to keep the red pigment from staining your teeth. Additionally, both coffee and red wine contain acids. While not a direct cause of staining, the acid can eat away at your tooth’s outer layer, the enamel, and cause the teeth to become more vulnerable to staining.

Balsamic Vinegar & Berries

Berries rich with dark pigments such as blueberries, blackberries, and cherries can leave your teeth stained. 

However, it is not necessary to remove these antioxidant (and healthy) berries from your diet altogether. Instead, swish your mouth with water afterward or brush with an enamel repair toothpaste to keep your smile bright.

Acidic Foods

Lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus-based foods may be loaded with nutrients, but they can wreak havoc on your teeth. Acids in citrus can erode enamel and leave the yellow-tinted layer underneath, known as dentin, exposed.

Acidic Drinks

Sodas and citrus-flavored sparkling water can cause discoloration. Because they are also acidic, they can dissolve and thin the mineral structure of your enamel similar to the effect of acidic foods on teeth. Erosion to your enamel does not just cause cosmetic issues, it also makes your teeth feel more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures and sugar.

Tip to Prevent Teeth Stains

We know it is not realistic to avoid all food and beverages that cause teeth staining. But to help keep your smile bright, here are some alternative options for what you can do before or after you consume these foods to prevent or lessen the staining. 

Use a straw when drinking the beverages mentioned above.

When sipping on beverages that are known to cause staining, choose to sip through a straw. Using a straw keeps the liquid away from the front surface of your teeth, reducing the direct contact between the staining agent in the drink and the tooth enamel. 

Choose lighter-colored fruits or vegetables, or mix them with dairy products to protect your teeth from staining.

Dairy products contain the protein casein, which attaches to tannins in coffee and tea and helps prevent them from getting onto your enamel. source

Avoid adding extra sugar to coffee or tea.

Adding sugar to your drinks can feed the bacteria in your mouth. This bacteria is the culprit behind cavities and gum disease. 

Brush your teeth.

Brushing your teeth after enjoying a tooth-staining treat is important, but make sure to wait about 30 minutes after eating. This will allow time for your saliva to wash away some of the acids. Brushing too quickly can cause erosion of the enamel. 

Drink Water.

Drinking water between foods that stain and drinks like coffee and wine will help to cleanse your mouth and get rid of tannins. Swish it around in your mouth before swallowing. Sparkling water in particular also has the benefit of bubbles which can loosen up or prevent stains.

The recommendations above can help prevent tooth stains, but are also great ways to keep your teeth healthy in general. The nutrients in healthy foods can help strengthen your teeth and gums, fight against bacteria, and prevent cavities and tooth decay.

Our dentists at WoodSprings Dentistry, Drs. Samantha and James Tejada, love to see our patients enjoy healthy, confident smiles! If you are concerned about staining or discoloration of your teeth, cosmetic and preventative dental treatments can help restore both the strength and brightness of your smile. Call our office today to learn more about professional teeth whitening and hygiene treatments in The Woodlands and Spring, TX.