Your smile can be the most attractive part about you because it can seem so appealing. Good white teeth are almost like a person’s prized possession and also indicate a person’s attention to oral hygiene. When a person with such teeth flashes a smile, they seem to get the attention of everyone present, whether friends, colleagues, business clients or intimate friends. Properly arranged teeth improve the quality of someone’s smile. Bad teeth can be very unsightly and might even come in the way of relationships at work and in one’s personal life. 

In our day to day life, we consume many foods and beverages which can make their unsavory presence felt on our breath and the general appearance of our teeth when we not attentive in matters of dental hygiene. Brushing one’s teeth regularly minimizes plaque build up, prevents cavities, tooth decay and other diseases like gingivitis. If plaque is not cleaned everyday it hardens into tartar, which can be removed only by visiting a dentist.

Let’s take a look at food items/ beverages or habits which should be avoided in order to maintain the dental hygiene and whiteness of your teeth.

Also read: How to tackle Bad Breath?

List of factors contributing to bad teeth

• Tea – Many people start their day with a cup of tea every morning. But do you ever realize that drinking tea could harm your teeth? As per dentists, tea is chromogen rich and it could stain teeth badly as compared to coffee. In fact, ordinary black tea, which is preferred by a number of people, is quite rich in stain promoting tannins. One should avoid black tea and instead try some herbal, green or white teas which are less likely to stain teeth than black tea.

• Wine – Red wine and white wine are acidic beverages containing chromogens and tannins. White wines are more acidic than red wines. Wine is known to stain teeth. But a study has shown that polyphenols present in red wine can slow down the growth of harmful bacteria known as streptococcus mutans, which develop in the mouth. One should avoid brush their teeth immediately after drinking white wine because white wine can actually scratch tooth enamel. Rinsing out the mouth with water is enough. 

• Sweets – Sweets like hard candy, chewing gums, popsicles, etc., contain some teeth staining coloring agents. If the tongue can partially take on a different colour at the time of eating such sweets, our teeth too stand to be affected. These sweets probably play a minor role in teeth staining, but one must avoid regular consumption for the sake of better dental health. 

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• Soy sauce – Soy sauce, tomato sauce and other colored sauces are found to cause teeth staining. Soy sauce on consuming actually sticks on to the teeth and the deep coloured pigment can actually stain your teeth leaving bad stains. Be careful while consuming soy sauce on food items, like soy sauce on sushi. If you must, make sure to rinse out your mouth thoroughly with green tea or water to prevent any teeth stain or problem.

• Balsamic vinegar – Like soy sauce, balsamic vinegar is also deeply pigmented and leads to the discoloring of teeth. Its dark colour may stick to teeth and cause stains. Don’t let there be a long interval between ingesting balsamic vinegar and brushing your teeth. While having salad with balsamic vinegar, pair it with lettuce as lettuce works as a protective barrier over teeth and helps to keep teeth stain free.

• Berries – Berries are known to provide several health benefits, but they can also potentially stain teeth. Particularly, the deep pigments in blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, and raspberries cause staining. Whether you take them in fruit form, as juice or processed as jelly or jam, do not let them stay in the mouth for longer. Try to drink water so that it may combat whole staining effect. You could also try a glass of milk or hard cheese, which are meant to neutralize acid and make teeth strong too. 

Apart from foods and beverages that stain teeth, smoking cigarettes produces yellowish stains because of tobacco harming both teeth and gums. To maintain healthy and white teeth, one must take some preventive measures.

Prevention:

• Try to brush teeth at least twice a day.

• Use a straw so that teeth are protected from exposure to drinks/beverages that could cause staining

• Rinsing the mouth out with water after every meal you consume

• Prevent smoking and chewing tobacco

• Make use of over the counter whitening products like Power Swabs Teeth Whitening System.

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