Holiday gift giving season is here! And the on-going question is whether it’s better to give than to receive?
Giving is a wonderful way to celebrate the spirit of the Holidays, but it’s not great when it comes to tooth stains. Tooth discoloration over the Holidays is something you don’t need to give yourself (or receive!).
What you eat and drink over the Holidays can affect the color of your teeth. The rule of thumb? If what you eat or drink can stain your clothes, it can also stain your teeth.
Here’s a list of some foods and drinks that can stain your teeth over the Holidays. You might find some of these surprising!
5 Ways You Can Stain Your Teeth this Holiday Season!
- Drinking Wine of Any Kind – Red wine is a big teeth staining culprit. The red grapes’ natural pigment gives the wine its color, but it’s the wine’s tannins that give it the delicious taste, and allow the pigment to bind to your teeth. And it’s also very acidic, so it can also etches your tooth enamel, making it more porous, and easier for stains to stick. OK, so how about drinking white wine? Tt’s also high in acidity and tannins, so drinking white wine can also erode the enamel of your teeth, but indirectly. Unlike red wine which will directly stain your teeth, drinking white wine by itself won’t stain your teeth, but It will make your teeth more susceptible to stains from any of the foods you eat with your wine.
- Eating Cranberry Sauce – What are the Holidays, or even Turkey, without some festive Cranberry sauce? While cranberries are high in vitamins, the berries’ vibrant color also stains the enamel of your teeth. Cranberry sauce is also loaded with sugar and it’s sticky, so it can linger on your teeth long and promote cavity causing bacteria…long after you’ve eaten your meal!
- Eating Berry Pies – Ready for some pie? The Holidays will be filled with plenty of tasty fruit-filled pies. However, just like with cranberry sauce, pies with berries, or other dark fruits, can also easily promote tooth stains. Blueberry, blackberry, or even cherry pie. Not only can the acidity from the berries wear down your tooth enamel, but the pie’s sugars and sticky fruits can linger in your teeth and lead to tooth decay.
- Drinking Sodas – Dark sodas like Coke are an easy target for causing tooth stains, but drinking a clear soda, or even sparkling cider, can also promote tooth stains. Because clear soda drinks are also high in acids, these drinks can wear down tooth enamel and then make your teeth easier for stains from other foods and drinks to set in.
- Drinking Tea & Coffee – Whether it’s tea, or a double tall cappuccino to get you through a shopping spree, either of these drinks will stain your teeth. Black, green or even herbal tea remains are one of the top ways you can stain your teeth! It’s because tea also has high levels of acidity and tannins. The darker you drink it, the more likely it stains. Whether you drink it hot or cold, tea will definitely leave its mark on your teeth.
The Holidays are a season for celebration, and why not? It’s been a long year! You don’t have to avoid these foods and drinks to keep your teeth stain free. Just minimize some of the effects of Holiday teeth stains by staying on top of your oral hygiene, and being mindful of your diet.
And if you’d like to give yourself a little smile tune up after the Holidays, we can offer you some excellent take-home & in-office teeth whitening treatments! Just give us call at (206) 242-0066 to schedule or reach out to us online!