There’s no doubt we live in an age where it’s easier than ever to have those super-white teeth you always dreamed of, but avoiding teeth whiteners is probably better for the health of your teeth in the long run.
Whether you are trying to keep your newly-whitened teeth looking great or are attempting to avoid having to subject your teeth to harsh whitening treatments in the first place, know the kinds of foods and drinks that contribute to the yellowing of your teeth can certainly help.
1. Black Tea
Many folks love tea and it does have many healthy benefits, but unfortunately black tea contains tannins, which give tea that reddish color it is famous for. Tannins also have a tendency to stain teeth, so green tea might be a better choice, and it’s said to be even healthier than black tea.
2. Soft Drinks
Also known as soda or tonic depending on where you come from, but regardless of what you call it, these drinks literally have no redeeming value beyond their sweet taste. In addition to all the other terrible things these drinks do to your health, they are also loaded with artificial colors, which can also do a number on your smile. We won’t even talk about all that sugar that can promote tooth decay and leave you with no teeth at all of you don’t practice good dental hygiene.
3. Beets
We hate the idea of suggesting that people give up on eating something as healthy as beets, but since they do have such a strong tendency to color things they come into contact with, you may want to consider bulking up on other veggies if you are beet lover who wants to protect their pearly whites.
4. Black Coffee
This is one that may be tough for those people that absolutely depend on that cup of joe in the morning to help them start their day. It’s probably not the absolute worst thing for your teeth and adding milk or cream may help reduce the chances of staining your teeth. This is a case where moderation may be the key to avoiding trouble. While one cup of coffee to get you started in the morning may not be much of a problem for your smile, downing four or five cups a day could result in stains that end up being quite noticeable after a few years.
5. Sweets
In addition to the obvious hazards to your teeth that sugar-laden candy represents, all those bright colors that make so many sweets look so appealing can also stain your teeth. Granted, you’d probably have to be an award-winning junk food junkie to consume enough candy to stain your teeth, but considering how bad all that sugar is for your health in general, it’s a much better idea to make candy an occasional treat that you enjoy once in a while instead of something you indulge in regularly.
6. Fruit Juice
While fruit juices are a much better alternative to soft drinks (especially if they are 100 percent juice), they are not quite as healthy as some would have you believe. Most fruit juices – even if they contain all-natural ingredients – have a pretty significant amount of sugar in them. A further threat to your choppers is the color that many juices contain, whether it’s natural or artificial.
7. Soy Sauce
For many people there’s no more satisfying meal to enjoy on a Friday night after a long week at work than a Chinese food. Soy sauce is one ingredient that shows up fairly frequently in Chinese food that has the ability to stain your teeth. Fortunately, the heavily-Americanized Chinese food most of us enjoy is probably more of an occasional treat and not something that’s enjoyed every night of the week.
8. Sports Drinks
The manufacturers of these drinks would have you believe that you’d never be able to complete a marathon or even a company softball game without plenty of their product on hand to keep you going. The truth of the matter is that you are probably much better off with plain water instead of all the artificial ingredients that are in many sport drinks. In addition to that, many of them are pretty acidic, which can erode tooth enamel and make your choppers more susceptible to staining.
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