The Worst tooth stain offenders

Coffee

 

When it comes to looking after our teeth it’s important that we know which foods are the worst stain offenders and take extra care to clean our teeth after consuming these.

With the festive season about to begin, many of us will indulge in foods and drinks that can stain our teeth, so here are the worst offenders to watch out for so make sure your teeth stay sparkling white this Christmas.

Red wine

Red wine and mulled wine are perfect choices for those dark cold wintery nights when you come home from work or want to sit in front of the TV with your dinner on a Friday or Saturday evening, however this is one of the worst teeth staining offenders.

Drinking red wine alongside a glass of water to drink from between sips will minimise your chances of tooth staining. Staining occurs when the acidic content in the wine, which causes staining, wears away the tooth enamel.

Tea

Tea is a popular hot beverage for many of us in the UK. It also has many great health benefits, however, drinking too much tea and black teas can cause teeth staining. When enjoying a nice cup of warm tea, try adding some milk into these dark teas or try one of the other teas such as green, white, or herbal teas.

Coffee

Coffee is the number one wake up call for many people and for those of you coffee drinkers who like your morning caffeine fix, consuming too much dark roast coffee will stain your teeth. If you are one of those who can’t live without your coffee and find yourselves doing a before work run to Starbucks or Costa, try adding some milk or cream with your beverage to help dilute some of the pigment. Drinking water afterwards will help dilute any potential staining as well as encourage you to get in some of the recommended daily 2 litres of water per day.

Hard boiled sweets

There’s bad news for those of us who purchased Halloween hard-boiled sweets, as these are also well known culprits for tooth staining. When we suck these sweets for a long time they can not only turn our tongues different colours but they can also turn our teeth into the same colour. Eating these sweets in moderation and either cleaning your teeth straight after consuming these, or swishing water around in your mouth, can protect your teeth from permanent staining.

If you need any advice on how to get rid those unwanted tooth stains, treat yourself to an early Christmas by booking a tooth whitening session