12 Food Culprits That Stain Your Teeth

Everyone wants that perfect smile full of pearly white teeth, but not everyone has teeth like that. It doesn't matter how often you brush your teeth or what whitening toothpaste you use. Dental hygiene is important, but most of the time the cause of your yellowing teeth is the food or drinks you consume each day. Here are 12 things that could be staining your teeth.

Wine

Red wine is an acidic beverage, which means it can cause a lot of harm to your teeth. It has both chromogens and tannins, both of which are known to stain your teeth. But red wine is not the only culprit, white wine has also been shown to play a role in the staining of your teeth.

Tea

Many dentists will tell you that tea stains your teeth worse than coffee. Black teas contain many tannins, just like the ones found in red wine. Other teas do not do as much damage.

Soda

Sodas are very acidic, which means they make it easier for other foods and beverages to stain your teeth. Some specific sodas, like cola, are also full of chromogens, which can cause staining.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks can also be very acidic. Drinks that have high acidity levels can cause the enamel in your teeth to soften, which makes it easier for staining to occur.

Berries

Some berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, cherries, or pomegranates, can stain your teeth because of their coloring. These fruits do not have to be in their natural form. Foods or drinks with these berries can also stain your teeth.

Sauces

Dark colored sauces, such as tomato sauce and soy sauce, known to be stain promoting as well. Be sure to brush your teeth right after eating foods covered in a dark sauce.

Sweets

Many candies and other sweet snacks have coloring added to them that can stain your teeth. If your tongue turns a different color, there’s a good chance that whatever you just ate will have an effect on your teeth as well.

Pickles and Ketchup

Both of these foods are extremely acidic. They will make your tooth enamel more delicate, making it easier for staining to occur.

Balsalmic Vinegar

This popular salad dressing is also very acidic. But, if you eat it over lettuce, the lettuce can form a protective barrier over your teeth to prevent some of the staining.

Beets

Beets can do a lot of harm to your clothing, so why wouldn’t they do the same to your teeth. The coloring and ingredients in beets make them another teeth staining food.

Curry

This Indian food flavoring has a lot of yellow coloring in it. As a result, it can easily stain your pearly whites with an unattractive yellowing color.

Juice

Particular juices, such as grape, pomegranate, and cranberry, have a lot of pigmentation. Because of this, they are known to cause staining.