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What’s Really Staining Your Teeth (and How to Fight It)
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Dulling Foods and Dingy Drinks
Not all foods are created equal when it comes to dental discoloration. The culprit in determining whether or not a food or drink will stain teeth is pH balance. That is, how acidic or basic is the food you are consuming?
The worst offenders, the ones that are highly acidic and deeply colored, are:
- coffee;
- tea;
- wine; and
- soda pop.
The acid in those drinks softens the enamel of your teeth and allows for easier absorption of the pigment in the beverages.
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The same holds true for berries and sauces - part of what makes spaghetti sauce so tasty is its slightly sour acidity. This also goes for berries as the tartness you taste is naturally-produced acid.
But food doesn’t have to be dark and acidic to soften and stain your teeth. The acidity of even completely colorless foods may erode enamel on your teeth. Consider that white wine may be no less acidic than red. If you are enjoying a nice glass of Chablis before dessert, the wine’s acidity may erode the enamel and any chromogens in your dessert may cause discoloration.
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