We follow the COVID-19 guidance from the Oregon Health Authority.

Ways of Decreasing How Many Stains Your Teeth Get

Posted on 8/25/2019 by Office of Dr. James A. Krippaehne

The road to maintaining white teeth is a long one. As a matter of fact, it is a never-ending one. Whether you were blessed with white teeth, to begin with and managed to keep them white until now, or you have had your teeth whitened and wish to maximize that investment, you should know that there are foods, beverages, and habits that can stain your teeth and make your pearly whites less pearly and less white. Many people seem to think that only smokers have a problem with tooth staining but that is not true. There are many foods that are healthy and good for you that can stain your teeth and there are also beverages that can stain your teeth. So now you must be wondering what to avoid to make sure your teeth get less exposed to tooth-staining materials.

What Can Stain My Teeth?

First, you should know that there are different types of tooth stain. Extrinsic tooth stains only stain the surface of your teeth and can be removed with regular dental cleaning visits and whitening toothpaste. These stains only affect the outside of your teeth. Intrinsic stains are those that have made it below the surface of your teeth to the tooth enamel. This type of stain requires professional or at-home bleaching. But what was it that caused these stains to begin with? At the top of the list are tobacco products. Cigars, cigarettes and chewing tobacco cause tooth stains. These stains are generally extrinsic but poor dental hygiene on your part can turn any extrinsic stain into one that gets into the tooth enamel. Next on the list is your beverages. Tea and coffee top that list. Tea has a component called tannin and that component is what stains your teeth. Darker teas have more tannin so switching to white or green tea could help. Coffee obviously, is a dark-colored beverage but if you add a little milk to it you dilute the dark color. Dark-colored sodas are bad for your teeth so if you must drink soda, which is bad on many levels, switch to light-colored soda. Next would be red wine for obvious reasons. Then there are juices. Yes, the juice is healthy, but grape and cranberry juice are the worst as far as staining your teeth goes. You could try rinsing your mouth when you are finished drinking the juice. As for fruits, the worst are beets and blueberries. Again, they are good for you, so you don't have to stop eating them, just rinse your mouth when you are finished.

WE TREAT OUR PATIENTS WITH RESPECT

We believe in educating patients about their treatment options and listening to their questions and concerns.

WE BELIEVE IN HEALTHY TEETH FIRST

We focus on prevention so that you keep your smile healthy. We provide excellent comfortable care for all procedures.

WE'RE HERE FOR YOU!

Schedule your visit today for cleaning, treatment, or consultation.