We whiten a lot of teeth at our Lynnwood dental clinic, and many patients want to know what they can do to keep their teeth white. Many of them are already aware of the bigger threats to their enamel: they eschew smoking, coffee, candy and soda, and yet they still routinely find themselves with a lackluster smile. The unfortunate truth is that it’s hard to completely avoid tooth-staining substances, for even many of our healthier options can have a tendency to leave a mark on your pearly-whites. Consider this list of tooth-stainers:
- Berries. This includes both whole berries and berries that have been processed into pies, jams, wines, and the like.
- Colorful sauces, like soy sauce, tomato sauce, and curry.
- Tea, even herbal teas and white teas, may have at least as much staining potential as coffee.
- Sports drinks and energy drinks.
Obviously, you can’t be expected to cut all of these out of your diet. Some represent foods that a good nutritionist would advise you to eat on a daily basis, and you shouldn’t be denying yourself a healthy diet to preserve the whiteness of your teeth.
What you can do, however, is adopt habits to minimize tooth stains. Drinking certain drinks through straws can reduce their staining potential, and brushing soon (but not too soon!) after staining meals can eliminate staining agents before they settle in. And of course, no matter what may happen, you can always count on Song’s dental center to put the sparkle back into your grin.
