Are These Foods and Drinks Darkening Your Smile?

A bright, white smile tells the world you’re happy and healthy, but if your teeth are dingy and dark, you may be sending the opposite message. Here’s how your food choices affect your teeth and how to get a brilliant smile.

If your smile is less than brilliant, you may have your diet to blame. Some foods and drinks — even healthy ones — can stain your teeth so deeply that even regular brushing with a whitening toothpaste can’t restore the original shade of white.

But we can.

Dr. Tyler Young at Los Gatos Dental specializes in keeping your teeth healthy inside and out. And when you have a few flaws, we offer the most advanced cosmetic dental treatments that enhance your teeth and gums. We've got your smile covered, from veneers and crowns to Invisalign® and dental implants.

For stained, dingy, or yellow teeth that age you and zap your confidence, we offer professional teeth whitening that safely brightens your teeth up to eight shades whiter in a single session.

Whether you’re trying to prevent stains or maintain the brightness from a recent teeth-whitening treatment, it’s good to know which foods and drinks discolor your teeth so you can avoid them.

Foods and drinks that stain your teeth

Your teeth have a protective enamel shell, but it’s not indestructible. Your enamel can wear down over time, revealing the yellow dentin layer below. Cracks and fractures can breach the surface, allowing bacteria and stain-causing particles to invade the enamel and create intrinsic stains. And foods and drinks you consume can bond with the protein film on your enamel and leave extrinsic stains.

Here are some of the common teeth-staining foods and drinks.

Tomatoes and tomato-based products

Tomato sauce gives pizza its classic foundation and lasagna its tangy layers because tomatoes are highly acidic. In fact, they contain so much acid that they can ruin the seasoned finish on your cast iron pan, and you can even use them as a cleaning product — try scrubbing your stainless steel or copper pots with ketchup.

Imagine what tomato products can do to your teeth. In addition to the enamel-destroying acid, tomatoes also have a bright red color that sinks into your enamel and stains your teeth.

Berries and cherries

Your teeth feel hard to the touch, but they’re actually porous. Some people have more porous teeth than others, and deeply colored foods seep into the microscopic holes.

Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, pomegranates, and cherries are among the worst culprits.

Candy

Sugar eats away at your enamel, so the longer it sits on your teeth, the more damage it does. Sticky candies like gummies and sweets that linger on your teeth, like suckers that you keep in your mouth over time, can easily stain your teeth, especially if they are brightly or intensely

colored. Even healthy dark chocolate can leave stains.

Sauces

Your pantry is likely full of flavorful condiments that cause teeth stains. Two of the worst offenders are soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Not only do they break down your enamel with their high acid, but these dark-colored sauces also deposit their pigment into your teeth.

Coffee and tea

Tea and coffee contain tannins, a chemical compound that sticks to your teeth and leaves stains. If you love caffeine, try adding a splash of milk to your brew, as the casein in dairy reduces the ability of coffee and tea to stain your teeth.

Red wine

The acid in red wine can etch the surface of your teeth and open their pores, which allows the deep red color to seep in and opens the door for the food you eat with your wine to do the same.

Colas, fruit juices, and sports drinks

Some beverages stain your teeth with a one-two punch. Specifically, fruit juices, sports drinks, and colas have a high sugar content and rich, dark colors that break down enamel and settle into the pores, leaving stains and overall discoloration.

Other types of teeth-stainers

Tobacco contains nicotine and tar, two chemical compounds that can turn your teeth yellow or brown.

Some medications are also known for darkening teeth. Tetracycline is a common antibiotic, and if you take it while your adult teeth are still developing — before age 17 — it can leave dark stains or strips on your teeth.

Trauma and infection may also be the culprits behind your tooth discoloration. That’s why it’s best to have our experts examine your teeth to ensure there’s no underlying condition we need to address.

If your teeth can use a hand in the stain-removal department, contact us in Los Gatos, California, to schedule a professional teeth whitening treatment.