Your mouth has a lot to do with your impression of other people. But when your teeth turn yellow, it’s a red flag and it’s bad for your dental health. So what causes teeth stains? The adage “we are what we eat” certainly applies to your oral health as well. While some foods can help you whiten your teeth, there are also some foods that will discolor teeth, giving them a yellow or brown appearance. Hence, you need to eliminate them from your diet to have a bright smile.
Foods and drinks that cause yellow teeth
In addition to maintaining proper oral hygiene, which includes routine brushing, flossing, and rinsing, we should be careful about the foods we eat. In fact, not only can a healthy diet help prevent tooth discoloration, but it can also improve your overall oral health.
HealthShots got in touch with Deepti Lokeshappa, Msc Food Science and Nutrition, Senior Consultant-Clinical Nutritionist, Motherhood Hospital, Bengaluru, to find out which foods are worst for oral health and make them appear yellow.
Lokeshappa says, “Having your morning coffee or your favorite pasta for lunch can do a lot more than provide you with calories and energy. Your dental health is directly affected by what you eat or drink. Eating foods with dark pigments and acidity can cause discoloration on your teeth.” So let’s take a closer look at the foods and drinks you should avoid to keep your teeth white.
Here are some foods and drinks that cause your teeth to appear yellowish:
1. Coffee and tea
It may come as a surprise to hear, but your favorite beverages like tea and coffee contain tannins that can cause color compounds to stick to your teeth, resulting in yellow teeth. Coffee is also naturally very acidic, and acidic foods are harmful to oral health. Instead, drink herbal tea to start your day!
2. Dark Cola
Fizzy drinks like soda and cola have a very acidic pH that can attack the enamel layer, making your teeth more susceptible to staining. Also, chemicals that add flavor to these drinks can also attack your tooth enamel and promote tooth decay.
Also read: Say goodbye to yellow teeth with these 5 home remedies for sparkling white teeth
3. Sweets and candies
Everyone agrees that sugar is the number one enemy of your dental health. Eating sweets and candies, especially dark varieties like chocolate, can cause spots. Hard candies also contain pigments that can stick to your teeth. The good news is that unless you consume these treats frequently, they usually don’t do any harm.
4. Soy sauce
You might want to add a good amount of soy sauce to your food, but your teeth obviously won’t like it. The dark brown pigment it contains can stain your teeth. Excessive consumption of highly concentrated sauces such as soy sauce should be avoided.
5. Citrus fruits and acidic foods
Lemon-based foods like tomato or lemon are rich in nutrients, but these colorful edibles can damage your tooth enamel if consumed in excessive amounts. They can also increase your risk of developing cavities.
Also read: Wondering why your teeth turn yellow? Blame these 5 culprits
6. Blueberries, blackberries and pomegranates
Although these fruits are high in antioxidants, they are heavily pigmented and can cause stains on your teeth. You should eat them in moderation
7. Red wine
Red or white, wine can be the reason for your grayish teeth making that yellow discoloration even harder to remove. The acid found in wine can damage your teeth by damaging the enamel and making your teeth more prone to yellowing.
It’s important to remember that these foods only cause stains when consumed in excess. Therefore, monitor the amounts you consume to protect your teeth.
