If you have been using toothpastes, rinses and kits to help whiten your teeth, but find the next day your smile looks just as dull, you are not alone. Maybe you even invested in a professional whitening procedure. Yet, in a short amount of time, your smile has lost its brightness.

Stop sabotaging yourself! Here are five foods and beverages that stain your teeth and what you can do to keep your pearly whites white.

Red Wine

If you love a good cabernet or merlot with your steak, and Chianti with your pasta, it’s hard to resist. Unfortunately, red wine contains tannins which are sticky and will sit on your teeth enamel, giving you that dreaded red mouth look. We are not telling you to give up what you love, but try some adjustments.

Use a straw to sip the wine. Keep a glass of water and sip some after each swallow of wine. This trick might help you drink and eat less too.

Sorry to tell the chardonnay and pinot grigio fans, but white wines actually stain teeth too. The acids found in white wines attract other foods that stain your teeth.

Coffee And Tea

Many of us need that jump-start each morning to get our day going. Then a lot of us continue to drink coffee all through the day. It may give us energy, but the caffeine also adds to our stained teeth. It contains acid and dries out the mouth, inviting bacteria and more stains.

Many kinds of teas, especially black tea can be a real culprit too.

• Try drinking water after having these beverages.
• Stick to herbal teas.
• Brush and floss as soon as possible after drinking coffee or tea.

Berries And Juices

We are advised to consume fruits filled with antioxidants for a healthy diet, but certain fruits will stain your teeth. Some of the worst fruits include berries like blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

Even jams and jellies can have the same effect on our teeth. Try adding water to dark fruit juices and make a spritzer.

Tomato Sauce

Seems like you just can’t win. If Italian food, red sauce, and red wine make up earthly pleasures you refuse to give up, don’t despair. One solution is to have a mixed green salad before your dinner to act like a guard from these teeth-staining villains. Then brush and floss as soon as you can.

Soft Drinks And Sports Drinks

Any dark coloured drink or cola will immediately cause discolouration to teeth enamel. Water is a healthy and smart alternative.

Best Practices

It is safe to say any dark or brightly coloured food or beverage can cause discoloured teeth. Balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, curry, brightly coloured candy, plus many other foods we enjoy every day contribute to our yellowed and dull smile.

What To Do:

• Chew sugarless gum after consuming anything on this list
• Drink lots of water
• Brush, floss and rinse as soon as possible

Contact Oakville Dental Place if you have any questions about stained teeth or want to take advantage of our teeth whitening services.