Do you see any dark spots on your teeth? These stains range in colour from yellowish-brown to black-brown. While tooth stains are usually an indicator of poor oral hygiene, they may also warn of significant health concerns.
Several things can cause this black or dark pigment on your teeth. Luckily, there are just as many ways to fix them and stop them from happening in the first place. You can get your smile back to a bright and sparkling shade by changing certain lifestyle habits. You can cut or limit foods and drinks that stain teeth.
But, to help you better understand your dental health, we’ll discuss what these tooth stains are, their potential causes, and the steps you can take to eliminate and prevent them. Learn about them by reading on.
Three Types of Tooth Stains
Even if teeth discolouration is widespread, it can cause anyone to be self-conscious during speech and smiling. The dark pigment can make a poor impression no matter how healthy your teeth are.
The colour of your teeth depends on the structure of your tooth enamel, dentin, and pulp chamber. Certain changes in such dental tissues will result in the appearance of these three types of tooth stains:
Age-Related Stains
Your body changes as you age, which also happens to your teeth. The tooth enamel, the white outer covering of your teeth, wears away as you get older. It loses its colour and causes the underlying dentin to become more visible.
The colour of the dentin ranges anywhere from light grey to yellow, hence the discolouration. These age-related stains are typically the result of both extrinsic and intrinsic stains over time.
Extrinsic Stains
This type of discolouration occurs on your tooth enamel. It develops when the enamel comes in contact with the food and drink you consume. The stain particles will accumulate without proper hygiene in the protein film covering the tooth enamel.
Intrinsic Stains
This type of tooth staining happens in the sensitive layer of your teeth. The stain-causing particles can work their way through the outer covering of your teeth and build up within the tooth enamel. Although these stains are more difficult to remove, they can be treated.
What Are the Causes of Tooth Stains?
Many factors contribute to teeth staining. Some might be more preventable, while others are inevitable. Here’s a list of the major causes of teeth stains:
Poor Oral Care
Poor oral care, such as not regularly brushing and flossing your teeth, causes bacteria and plaque to accumulate, leading to tooth discolouration and decay. Not visiting your dentist for professional dental cleaning can also allow stains to develop.
Trauma and Diseases
Tooth discolouration can be the first sign of celiac disease. It’s an auto-immune disease that causes defects in the tooth enamel and leaves brown or yellow stains on teeth. Other conditions like fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia also affect the enamel. Radiation and chemotherapy in cancer patients can also cause colour changes in the teeth.
Medication
Tooth stains are sometimes a side effect of certain medications, such as antibiotics, antihistamines, and antihypertensive medicines. They may have compounds that can cause staining on your teeth. You can read through the side effects of the medications prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Food and Drink
The intense colour of certain foods and drinks can cause dark pigment in the teeth. They also contain tannin, an acidic substance that attracts proteins, sugars, and enzymes in the mouth. It makes these staining agents stick in the enamel of your teeth, which can result in possible worst teeth stains.
Common Foods That Stain Your Teeth
Eliminating the foods that are bad for your teeth is a significant change you can make to avoid tooth discolouration and other dental problems. However, some of them have vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for your health. You can limit your consumption instead of cutting them altogether.
Below is a list of the common teeth-staining foods you should take note of:
Coffee and Tea
Your daily coffee and tea contain acidic flavour compounds that stick to the enamel of your teeth. They can build up and leave an unpleasant yellow shade, increasing the risks of tooth discolouration.
Sugary Drinks
These drinks have high-acid content that is damaging to your teeth. They contain high amounts of sugar that feed bacteria, resulting in the formation of tooth cavities and stains.
Tomato-Based Sauces
While tomato sauces taste amazing, they’re highly pigmented and acidic. Constant contact with these ingredients will make the tooth enamel more porous, making it more vulnerable to staining.
Balsamic Vinegar
All kinds of vinegar have acid content. But the combined darker pigmentation of balsamic vinegar causes more stains to form, and its acidity wears away the tooth enamel. Because it’s sticky, it remains in your teeth after eating and encourages more staining.
Coloured Candy and Sweets
Besides the sugar and acidic contents, many candy and sweets are high in food colouring. It will make your mouth change colour and cause staining in your teeth.
Soy Sauce
The dark brown pigment of soy sauce can linger long after you eat a meal. While it’s great with sushi and an essential ingredient in most Asian-inspired foods, it’s one of the worst culprits of tooth stains.
Citrus Fruits
Eating citrus fruits, such as lemons and grapefruits, helps increase your vitamin C intake. Although they’re healthy, these fruits are acidic foods, which can cause enamel erosion and discolouration.
Pigmented Berries
Richly pigmented fruits like cherries or berries have deep hues and rich colours. They also have small organic particles penetrating the tooth enamel, resulting in more discolouration and dental issues.
Red and White Wine
The tannins and dark pigmentation of red wine make it one of the causes of many tooth discolourations. They also bind to the teeth, allowing the pigment to stick long, even after a limited couple of sips. While white wine has lesser effects, its acidity also sets the stage for stains in your teeth.
Beets
Whether consumed as a juice or in solid form, beets cause stains on your teeth. However, the dark colour of its juice is more potent in terms of its staining properties.
Steps You Can Take About Tooth Staining
Tooth stains can make you feel uncomfortable. But the good news is that most tooth stainings are preventable and treatable. You can keep your teeth bright and healthy by taking the following steps:
Eat Stain-Fighting Foods
There are stain-fighting foods that can help whiten your teeth over time. Some can also have good health benefits when you take them regularly. Here are the common foods you can eat to fight off stains and maintain a whiter smile:
- Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese
- Nuts and seeds
- Crunchy veggies like broccoli, celery, and carrots
- Fruits like apples, pears, and strawberries
Drink With a Straw
Stains and discolouration are less likely to happen if the beverages barely contact your teeth. Using a straw helps minimize the exposure of teeth to staining. Instead of drinking from a cup, take the straw routine to keep your teeth stain-free. But ensure to position the straw toward the back of your mouth to reduce contact with the teeth.
Take up Sugar-Free Chewing Gum
When chewing sugar-free gum, the mouth responds the same way it does when chewing food. It increases the flow of saliva, which cancels out the leftover acid that can cause plaque and stains in your teeth. This can help wipe away the staining agents from the foods and drinks you consume.
Consume Plenty of Water
Water is indisputably a healthy drink. It helps protect your teeth by diluting acids from foods and beverages. Consuming plenty of water or even a simple glass of water after a meal can wash away the residue that can harm your tooth enamel.
Use Teeth Whitening Products
Whitening products can help eliminate extrinsic stains in your teeth. Products with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide may be effective on intrinsic or natural aging stains. But, if they don’t work, a professional whitening from the dentist would be the best choice.
Maintain a Good Oral Health Routine
Maintaining a good oral health routine is among the best things you can do to prevent teeth staining. Ensure to brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day or as your dentist recommends. This can also include limiting food and drinks that stain teeth.
Make Regular Visits to the Dentist
Visiting your dentist on a regular basis is essential to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Your dentist can better detect any cavities and stains between your teeth. Make sure to have your teeth professionally checked and cleaned at least every six months or as recommended by your dentist.
Did you know?
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Learn More About Improving Your Dental Health. Contact Our Clinic Today.
The appearance of our teeth can often affect our confidence in dealing with people. While maintaining good oral care, limiting tooth-staining foods, and other at-home measures can help, dentists still know the best treatment. If you’re concerned about having stained teeth or any dental problems, don’t hesitate to visit a dentist in Hamilton, Ontario.
Let us know how we can help in addressing your dental needs. Contact us today to request an appointment with an orthodontist in Hamilton and Oakville.
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FAQs on What Foods Stain Teeth
Does teeth whitening have side effects?
Teeth sensitivity is the only common side effect of professional teeth whitening. The reason for this is that the whitener slightly weakens the teeth. But the effect is only temporary and typically disappears within a few days.
Do braces cause tooth stains?
People with braces often get tooth stains. However, it’s not the braces that directly cause the staining. The accumulation of plaque and tartar is usually caused when the individual doesn’t know how to clean the braces properly.
Are teeth whitening products effective?
Whitening products can be effective, depending on the types of staining you have. It’s also best to use a product recommended by a dental professional.