Oh So Yummy, But Stains Not So Funny —
Did you know that certain things you eat and drink can cause
your teeth to stain? Take note next time
red wine is spilled on your carpet or tablecloth. It can have the same effect on your teeth.
First of all, not all stain comes from food or drink, which
is extrinsic staining. As we age, our
teeth naturally become more yellow due to our enamel thinning. Teeth take a beating over the years and our
enamel wears down. This allows the inner
layer of our teeth to show through. That
layer is called dentin and is yellow in color.
This is what would be called intrinsic staining since it comes from
within. Other than age, our diet can
play a role in the appearance of yellow or stained teeth.
That’s a one a good a meataballa!! How do you like your spaghetti? Most likely you enjoy those noodles with some
sort of tomato sauce. Dark colored
sauces (including soy sauce if you are having Chinese instead of Italian this
evening) have the potential of staining your teeth.
A lot of us like to drink coffee and tea. Unfortunately,
both can stain your teeth and tea can actually stain worse than coffee can,
especially the dark teas.
If you enjoy a good glass of wine, beware! Wines are very acidic, even white wines,
which can lead to staining of the teeth.
Exercising is great and good job if you do it! In regards to your teeth, the best thing to
replenish your body during and after exercise is water. Sports drinks are highly acidic which leads
to eroding of tooth enamel, which then leads to staining.
And the same goes for soda.
It is also highly acidic and can eat away enamel, which allows for
particles from food and other drinks to stick and stain.
Ahhhhhhh………..summer is the season for berry pickin’! Berries are also acidic and can stick to the
enamel of the teeth. So, after your bowl
of strawberries or slice (or two) of raspberry pie, try to brush those chompers
as soon as you can.
The important thing to remember is that foods that are
highly acidic can damage and stain your teeth or allow for other foods to stain
your teeth. The best thing to do after
you have any of those goodies is to try to brush and floss or at least rinse
with water if those things aren’t readily available to you.
Also, keep up with your regular cleanings with the
hygienists at Szmanda Dental Center so they can polish those stains away. And, please ask them about our teeth
whitening options if you would like pearlier whites!
Information
compiled from WebMD and Staff at Szmanda Dental Center
©
Szmanda Dental Center, S.C. 2013
