The Most Frequent Causes of Stained Teeth
Photos Rachelle Simoneau
Words Matthieu Morge-Zucconi
Share the article on
The enemies of white teeth
It’s a fact: you’re probably seeking white teeth. Or at least, as white as possible. But with each meal, the risk of staining them gets greater. Between the morning coffee, the lunchtime salad, 4pm tea and glass of wine to unwind, there are many ingredients that threaten your teeth. A quick overview of the different ingredients that jeopardise your Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson smile.
Balsamic vinegar
Dark colour and sticky texture: balsamic vinegar has all the features that can stain your teeth. Beware of this dressing, as well as soy sauce for the same reasons.
Fruit Juices
Fruit juices come with two sources of risk: First, they tend to be acidic. Their acidity weakens teeth, making them more likely to be stained. It goes double thanks to their high volume of sugar, too. It is recommended that you brush your teeth after each juice drink. The solution could seem extreme, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Tomato sauce
Lovers of pizza, and other arrabiata penne dishes, beware of tomato sauce. It is acidic (even if you add a pinch of sugar) and can weaken the tooth enamel. Following this, they become more porous and the risk of stains increase.
Various fruits
With so many dark purple or red pigments, blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates and other fruits can leave residue that stains your teeth.
Beets
With their deep colour, it is unsurprising that beets are loaded with pigments that stain your teeth red. And a red mouth, we can all agree, is not the best look.
Soda
Very acidic, sodas tend to make your teeth porous and sensitive to staining. Be especially wary of darker sodas, like Coca Cola, which can cause discolouration.
Cigarette
This is more well-known. The nicotine and tar in cigarettes cause yellow and brown spots. Besides, this is only the beginning: tooth loss and other gum problems are caused with too much smoking. So stop for your own good.
Tea (and Coffee)
Your morning fuel contains a lot of tannins, which can – in the long term – cause a yellow or greyish discoloration of the teeth. Energy or white teeth? Your choice.
Red Wine
Bordeaux, Burgundy, and even Pic Saint-Loup carry the same risks: reddish spots caused by tannins. A glass of white isn’t bad too, trust us.
Obviously there is no point banning these foods and drinks from your life entirely. Just remember to brush your teeth with a {widget type="Horace\Widget\Block\Blog\ProductLink" text_link="whitening toothpaste" sku="TOO_TOO_MIN_WH_75" is_active="0"}} soon after consumption, and to drink plenty of water. For the sake of your smile.