What foods stain teeth?

Due to the passage of time and some bad habits, tooth enamel can lose its characteristic bright white colour. Tooth stains are one of the oral disorders that most concern the general population. They are largely due to the frequent ingestion of certain drinks and foods that stain teeth.

While it is not possible for most people to stop eating the foods that cause teeth to darken gradually, knowing which are the most damaging to white enamel may help to restrict them in the diet.

We are going to see which are the foods that stain teeth most frequently, what consequences they have for the health and aesthetics of teeth, and what recommendations experts make to keep teeth whiter through food.

What drinks and foods stain teeth?

Detecting which foods are the most damaging to the whiteness of your teeth is very simple. All you have to do is look for foods and drinks with strong colours, which tend to stain and leave traces of natural dyes.

But these are not the only ones. Foods and drinks rich in sugars, acids and other substances harmful to tooth enamel can also colour teeth without us realising it. These include the following:

Acidic foods

Foods that have a strong acidic taste are very appealing to many people, but not very beneficial for teeth. Frequent ingestion of acidic foods contributes to the demineralisation of tooth enamel, which weakens over time and can become discoloured.

These foods include citrus fruits such as pineapple, kiwi and red fruits. This does not mean that you have to eliminate them completely from your diet, but rather take them in a balanced way, compensating their consumption with other less acidic fruits such as apples, peaches or watermelon.

Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables

There are other fruits and a wide variety of vegetables that contain a large amount of natural dyes that can easily stain teeth.

These include cherries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and, of course, beetroot. These are products of vegetable origin that provide antioxidants that are very beneficial for the organism. These can be eaten without any problem, but when you finish, it is advisable to remove the remains thoroughly by brushing your teeth.

Carbonated beverages

Carbonated beverages such as soft drinks combine the effect of the two previous food groups. On the one hand, the gas in these beverages demineralises the enamel, so that the protective layer of enamel is reduced over the years when too much is consumed.

On the other hand, the large amount of dyes in fizzy drinks ends up in the teeth, staining them progressively. If we add to this the sugar contained in most soft drinks, the risk of tooth decay and staining is much higher.

Coffee and tea

Coffee and tea are two essential beverages for many people who drink them frequently. They are also among the drinks that tend to stain teeth the most, increasing the discolouration depending on the amount consumed daily.

Unfortunately, there is no alternative or remedy to stop coffee from staining your teeth. Instead, if you are a tea drinker, and want to avoid natural staining of your teeth, try substituting black or red tea with green tea, which contains less tannins.

Wine

You probably already know that red wine is another drink that stains teeth. However, white wine is not spared either.

Due to their high acidity and high tannin content, both white and red wine slowly damage and darken the enamel if consumed excessively.

Sauces and vinegar

In addition to these foods that stain teeth, there are others that are frequently consumed that can directly affect the colour of teeth. These include ultra-processed foods containing dyes, such as sweets or sauces like soya or ketchup.

Sherry vinegar, which has an intense colour, and especially Modena vinegar, which has a high acidity and sugar content, should be consumed in moderation if you want a whiter smile.

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Can food stains on teeth be removed?

Once stains have appeared on the teeth due to the consumption of certain foods and drinks, there are different alternatives to remove them.

First of all, it is necessary to determine the origin of these stains, and to do so, the best thing to do is to consult a professional.

The lightest tooth stains can be removed by brushing. It is essential to brush teeth after every meal, using a suitable toothbrush and cleaning the interproximal spaces with dental floss. whitening toothpaste and cleaning the interproximal spaces with dental floss.

For difficult stains, Laboratorios KIN has a special treatment consisting of a whitening toothpaste and tooth whitening gel contained in a single container. The innovative WhiteKIN system, sold exclusively in dental clinics, can be applied at home with a simple regular brushing, effectively and conveniently eliminating tooth discolouration.

In addition to these options, it is possible to go to the dental clinic for a professional cleaning or teeth whitening to remove deeper stains.