Keeping your teeth as white as they can be is no easy task because there are several types of foods that may stain your teeth when you consume them. Thankfully the following guide will help identify 3 foods that might stain your teeth, as well as 3 foods that will help re-whiten your teeth.
3 Tooth Stainers
1. Dark Teas
Dark teas (and other foods, like red wine) contain a high amount of tannins, which are acidic and may lead to stains given enough time. You may want to avoid dark teas or drink through a straw if you drink dark teas frequently.
2. Berries
Dark colored berries contain strong pigments that may end up sticking to your teeth after consuming them. Minimizing your consumption of berries can help, or you can rinse, floss, and brush your teeth after eating a few berries.
3. Hard candy
You probably remember sucking on a lollipop, or any other type of hard candy, and seeing your tongue turn a different color. Hard candies are usually made with strong artificial pigments that will stain your teeth given enough time. Do your best to avoid these types of candies; besides, most are detrimental to your teeth due to the highly processed sugar content that most contain.
You can talk to a dentist, like Daniel Savini DDS, about other types of foods that may be causing stains on your teeth, as he or she may have other ideas. Remember that foods are not the only thing that can cause tooth-discoloration, as there are bacteria that do the same. So be sure to make an immediate appointment with your dentist if you see stains develop.
Now, you can help diminish the effects of teeth-staining foods by incorporating the following.
3 Tooth Whiteners
Consider the following:
1. Malic-Filled Fruits
The first group of foods that you want to add to your diet are fruits that contain a high content of malic acid. Malic acid is an active ingredient that helps activate your salivary glands. Your saliva contains several enzymes that help kill stain-causing bacteria, which should help keep your teeth white.
2. Bromelain-Filled Fruit
You should also consider adding more pineapples to your diet because they contain a high content of bromelain. Bromelain is an active ingredient that disrupts the production of bacterial biofilms; these our the same biofilms that help oral pathogens stick to your teeth, leading to stains or even cavities.
3. Cheese
Some of the bacteria that cause stains need an acidic environment to thrive, but cheese happens to have an alkaline nature. This alkalinity should help rebalance the pH value in your mouth, making it unfriendly to harmful bacteria and keep your teeth white.
There you have it, these a just a few foods that may stain your teeth and others that may help re-whiten them should your smile need a boost.
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