These Drinks Will Stain Your Teeth

If you have noticed any discoloration in your teeth, it may be because of what you are drinking. Even regular brushing and flossing can’t prevent some of the stains caused by certain beverages.

Here are some of the most common drinks that are known stain teeth:

Coffee

Starting the day off with a cup of coffee has become the daily routine for many people. However, what many of these people may not know is the effect this is having on their teeth.

The rule of thumb is if it can stain your clothes, it can stain your teeth. Just one cup of coffee a day is all it takes to cause staining. According to Dr. Victoria Veystman, this is because coffee contains an ingredient called tannins, which causes color compounds to more readily stick to your teeth.

Tea

Just like coffee, tea can cause staining due to its tannin content. In fact, tea may cause even more staining because it is higher in its tannin count.

The worst tea for your teeth is black tea (which is usually used in iced tea) so try to stick to lighter teas such as herbal and green teas.

Wine

Most alcoholic drinks are very acidic. As a result, they can wear away your enamel when making contact with your teeth.

This can discolor your teeth because it can expose the dentin that is underneath, which has a darker, yellow shade. More importantly however, exposing your dentin also exposes underlying nerves, which can lead to sensitivity and pain in your teeth.

On top of exposing your dentin, red wine also contains tannins and chromogens, which can cause further staining to your teeth.

Soda

Most people love having a sugary drink every  now and then. And this usually comes in the form of soda. But, along with many problems to your general health, drinking too much soda can have harsh effects on your teeth.

Similar to wine, soda is also very acidic, meaning it can wear away your enamel and expose your dentin. On top of this, soda is also loaded with chromogens, which can cause further staining in your teeth.

The same holds true for all sodas, even the lighter colored ones.

What can you do?

If you are already brushing and flossing readily, you’re probably wondering what else you can do to prevent stains.

One thing to remember is that everyone is different. Personally, I don’t like coffee or soda, and I don’t drink alcohol, so three of these beverages are already out of my diet, making staining less of an issue for me. But, I love green tea and I drink it almost every day.

You on the other hand may hate tea, but love drinking coffee. Whatever the case is, these two tips should be able to help you out:

Keep everything in moderation

This is probably the biggest tip I have. Although I drink green tea pretty often, I feel like I can get away with it because I limit other stain causing beverages from my diet.

You can try something similar. If you are a regular coffee or soda drinker, try cutting back a little every day. Even just drinking half a cup less a day can make a big difference!

Rinse with water

I have also found this tip to be very helpful. Every time I eat or drink something that I know can cause staining, I rinse my mouth with a glass of water immediately after.

This is especially useful after drinking something acidic because it can neutralize the acids in your mouth, minimizing the staining done to your teeth.

If you have any tips on dealing with stains or other drinks to avoid, please leave it in the comments!

Sources: Health Line, The Happy Tooth, Daily Mail, Colgate

Dental Secrets is providing this information for informational purposes only. Please consult a dentist or health advisor for questions. These materials are intended, but not promised or guaranteed to be current, complete or up to date.