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We’ve all been victim to it - there you are chatting at a party, you’ve had some appetizers and a few drinks, and that’s when you notice your teeth are stained. Usually, we can wash these stains off later when brushing our teeth. But over time, if those stains aren’t taken care of, they can start to become permanent on your teeth. Everyone has that crazy uncle with stained teeth, and that’s what can happen without taking the proper precautions.
Fighting Off Stains
The truth is there are many foods out there that can stain your teeth if left unchecked. It’ll be impossible to avoid all of them. That’s why it’s important we do our best to fight them off. Remembering to brush before bed or 30 minutes after an acidic meal is vital to keeping your teeth white. However, manual brushing misses the mark when it comes to keeping teeth stain-free. The only sure way to keep your teeth safe from stains is using an automatic toothbrush like the AutoBrush, specifically designed with features aimed at removing plaque and getting those hard to reach spots that strong foods like coffee or berries creep into. In the meantime, check out this quick list of the top foods that will stain your teeth.
Dark Juices and Sodas
One of the more obvious choices is dark juices and soda. Most of us already know these types of beverages aren’t great for your teeth, both because of the amount of sugar and because of the dark colorations from the dyes. These ones are easy to avoid because health conscious people will be avoiding these for dietary purposes. They’re some of the most devastating drinks for your teeth because of the severity of the stains they can cause. If you like sugary drinks, try to cut down on and avoid the dark juices and sodas. Even something as simple as drinking clear sodas instead of dark sodas can make a massive difference.
Coffee
This one also makes your breath bad and was also featured in our post about worst foods for your breath, but it can also have long term effects on your teeth. Coffee is dark just like sodas and juices, but it’s perhaps an even stronger stainer. Because of the process of heating the beans, it creates a beverage that’s stronger than normal. Black coffee is particularly the worst. If you want to avoid stains on your teeth consider cutting back on coffee or chewing a piece of gum right after drinking your coffee.
Soy Sauce
Do you love sweet and sour? Chinese-takeout might be a guilty pleasure of yours, and that’s okay. But soy sauce is another substance that, if left unchecked, can seriously stain your teeth. There’s a reason soy sauce is used in a lot of marinades and it’s because it’s strong enough to seep into whatever it sits in and change the flavor. Imagine it doing the same thing to your teeth. Yikes!
Blueberries
Not all fruits are created equal. While blueberries do have plenty of antioxidants and are a great addition to any diet, they do contain very strong acids that help to stain teeth that lovely dark color. It’s important to not only remember to brush but to floss those blueberries out of your teeth.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all these foods from our diet, but to be aware of what we’re consuming and how much. Keeping your teeth white and stain-free is all about awareness and taking the proper precautions when we do eat stronger foods.
