An adage says, “If it can stain your clothes, it can stain your teeth.” Unfortunately for avid drinkers of red wine, coffee, and tea, you will eventually find that your teeth have suffered the consequences of these beverages. In fact, soy sauce, balsamic dressing, berries, and similarly dark-hued foods and drinks also fall into this category of things that can leave unattractive stains on your teeth.

All these beverages contain tannins which cause color compounds to stick to your teeth, which leave behind an unwanted yellow hue on what should be your “pearly whites.”  It only takes one glass of red wine or cup of coffee per day for stains to happen.  However, here are some things you can do to combat the staining of your teeth.

• Ideally you would brush and floss your teeth immediately after drinking these beverages.  If this is not feasible, rinsing your mouth with water immediately after drinking these beverages will help ward off the immediate effects of tannins and decrease the chance of stains on your teeth.

• A good daily oral dental care routine, including thorough brushing, flossing, and rinsing with an antiseptic mouth wash, will help prevent staining.

• Regular appointments with a dental hygienist can decrease teeth stain.  A thorough dental cleaning by a trained, professional dental hygienist will remove plaque, stain, and tarter that have built up on your teeth.  This can both help remove stains from your teeth as well as improve and maintain your overall oral health.