Can You Avoid Staining Your Teeth?

shutterstock_171350735Are you maintaining excellent oral hygiene but still struggling to keep your teeth pearly white? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Your tooth enamel will change with age, likely becoming more susceptible to discoloration over time. Can you avoid staining your teeth? Not entirely – there are two different types of stains; extrensic and intrinsic, which both affect your teeth differently. While intrensic stains can be impossible to avoid because they are caused from medications or medical conditions, extrensic stains are caused from foods, drinks, or habits like smoking, so they’re much easier to prevent.

Foods And Drinks To Avoid

When it comes to avoiding certain foods and drinks, it’s all about the quantity you’re consuming. For example, if you’re consuming 3 cups of coffee per day, you’re more likely to stain your teeth than if you reduced your coffee intake to one cup every other day. Contrary to popular belief, coffee is not the worst culprit when it comes to tooth staining. Surprisingly, tea takes that role. In addition to coffee and tea, any dark or bright-colored foods and drinks can stain your teeth. It’s important to know that acidic drinks like these wear your tooth enamel, making it easier for stains to set in. So you shouldn’t worry about staining your teeth with one glass of white wine assuming you avoid eating anything colored afterwards. But, red wine is a different story because it’s acidic and it has it’s own color.

Exploring Teeth Whitening

Are you ready for a brighter smile? Keep in mind that everyone responds differently to teeth whitening as the end result depends on the discoloration of your teeth to begin with, but it can get rid of those extrensic stains!

Dr. Stubbs offers take-home whitening trays that are extremely effective for brightening your smile without the high price tag of an in-office procedure. These trays are customized to specifically fit your teeth for optimal comfort and are even reusable for the future! Usually, it’s recommended to wear the trays (with the whitening gel) half an hour each day for two weeks. This can vary depending on the situation, but you’ll definitely notice a difference once you’re done!