Many every day foods and drinks can cause staining on teeth. One of the many benefits of regular appointments with a hygienist is that they can professionally remove these stains. As we are currently unable to see patients for face to face treatment, and are waiting for guidance on when this is likely to change, here are a few tips to help you minimise staining on teeth.

Tooth Staining Culprits

As you might expect it is the highly pigmented food and drinks that can cause staining. A few examples of common culprits are found below:

• Curry
• Pasta sauce
• Tomato Ketchup
• Blueberries/Blackcurrants
• Balsamic vinegar
• Soy Sauce
• Coffee
• Tea
• Red wine
• Cola
• Cranberry Juice

Smoking cigarettes and cigars or chewing tobacco can also contribute to stained teeth.

How to prevent stains

There are a few things you can do to help minimise staining:

• Use a straw- Drinking coloured beverages through a straw reduces the amount of contact the drink has on your teeth.
• Drink Water- Water will help to wash away the dark liquids and foods. Take regular sips whilst eating and drinking these coloured food and drinks.
• Eat crunchy fruit and veg- Crunchy foods such as apples and carrots scrub your teeth, acting as natural stain removers.
• Tooth Brushing and Interdental Cleaning- The most effective way to prevent stains taking hold is to brush your teeth twice a day and clean in between teeth once a day.
• Stop Smoking- Whether you smoke tobacco or chew it, your teeth are going to get stained. There are also the health risks to consider. Your GP can offer advice on helping to stop

What about Whitening Toothpastes?

Whitening toothpastes can’t change the colour of your natural teeth as they don’t contain a bleaching agent. They may help to remove some of the staining on your teeth because they contain an abrasive ingredient which will scrub the surface of your teeth. However, regular use could permanently damage your enamel too. The best whitening results are achieved by using custom made trays and a whitening gel prescribed by a dental professional (Did you know that anyone other than a dental professional providing tooth whitening are breaking the law?)

To minimise the amount of staining on your teeth, following the tips above will help. Once we are able to see you again book in with one of our hygienists for an Airflow appointment. The process uses a combination of compressed air, water and sodium to remove the stains that home oral hygiene cannot deal with. To whiten your teeth stain removal combined with whitening treatment will give you the best results. Our dentists will be happy to discuss this with you once we are able to see patients face to face.

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Kate Hampton

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