You would not suspect it, but the biggest enemy of your white smile is hidden in your favorite meals and drinks. Some of them hint of the danger they bring with bright colors, others warn you with their sour taste or quietly stain your teeth without your knowledge.
Foods with naturally vivid colors contain highly pigmented molecules called chromogens, which change the color of teeth, sticking to their surface. On the other hand, drinks and food with high acidity lead to erosion of tooth enamel, making it even more suitable place for the chromogen to settle permanently.
The tannins in the composition of certain products also have the ability to increase the intensity with which the teeth absorb pigment. So let’s see what are the most common threats on our table.
Wine
To the disappointment of lovers of wine, this drink has collected in itself all possible mechanisms for staining the teeth – acidity, tannins and pigments.
Coffee
In our fast-paced world, there’s hardly anyone who does not reach for a cup of coffee for more alertness and energy. But unfortunately, this refreshing drink is full of chromogens, leading to a gradual darkening of the teeth.
Tea
Tea, especially black varieties, is even more aggressive to the tooth enamel than coffee, because it contains both chromogens and tannins.
Beet
There is hardly a housewife who does not know how this juicy vegetable stains fingers. Well, the same happens with our teeth when we eat raw beets.
Carbonated drinks
With their high acidity and abundance of homogenes and artificial colors, soft drinks are an unsuitable choice for people who want to maintain the whiteness of their smile.
Pastry
It is better to avoid colorful candy, cakes and other sweet treats, especially if they stain your tongue heavily while you are consuming them. It is better not to have too much of the healthy otherwise dark chocolate either.
Fruit
Intensely colored fruits such as blackberries, blueberries and pomegranates are able to instantly color your teeth, while others make the enamel more susceptible to staining through their high acidity.
Too hot or too cold foods and drinks
No matter what you eat, do not expose your teeth to extreme temperatures. This leads to expansion and contraction of the teeth, which seals in the colors you are consuming.
Vinegar
Perhaps you like well flavored dishes, but be careful with the frequent use of vinegar or lemon juice, as these acidic ingredients hospitably open the pores of the tooth enamel for the pigments to enter.
So, now you are able recognize some of the “enemies” on your plate, but that does not mean that you should abandon your favorite foods. It is enough to reduce the consumption of the ones that are less beneficial to your body, such as carbonated drinks and desserts with an unnatural sweetness. And of course, to rinse your mouth immediately after eating, and later to clean your teeth with an appropriate whitening toothpaste.
