How to Prevent Your Teeth From Staining

Tooth whiteners are effective in brightening your smile, but they can be messy and expensive. Moreover, many whitening products should be used only periodically. A better strategy is to keep your teeth from becoming yellowed and stained by using more natural strategies.

Avoid Certain Foods and Drinks

Your diet could be staining your teeth. Certain foods and drinks, especially those that are darkly colored, tend to cause your enamel to stain and discolor because of the chemicals they contain. Foods containing acids and tannins are the biggest culprits, as are chromogens, which are compounds that cause substances to stick to your teeth.

Coffee and tea are the most common drinks that lead to staining, but cola and certain high-acidic fruit juices should also be avoided. Among foods, steer clear of dishes with tomato-based sauces such as pasta, curries, and soy sauce. It’s also possible that candies with artificial flavorings and colorings can cause staining.

Brush Your Teeth

You can prevent stain buildup on your teeth by making additions to your dental hygiene routine. There are toothpastes and mouthwashes you can buy that do help whiten your smile. They often contain mild abrasives such as baking soda. Others contain solutions of hydrogen peroxide.

Using some hydrogen peroxide in your brushing routine is great for breaking down stains. You don’t have to buy a commercial product; just buy a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and use ordinary baking soda. Mix the two to make a paste. You can also dilute the hydrogen peroxide with water to make a mouth rinse.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your teeth. Every time you inhale, the tar and nicotine from the tobacco sticks to your teeth and becomes absorbed by the enamel, leaving your teeth stained yellow and brown. Chewing tobacco causes even worse stains.

Cleaning and whitening procedures will help to lighten the stains from tobacco use. You can also rinse your mouth each time you have a smoke. This will help remove some tobacco deposits on your teeth. But your best strategy by far is to quit smoking.

You can prevent your teeth from staining by making some changes to your daily routine. While it may not be realistic to always avoid things that stain your teeth, you can be vigilant about cleaning your teeth and take reasonable steps to prevent buildup and remove discoloration.

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