Our teeth are the stongest parts of our bodies, even tougher than our bones. Think of the structure of a tooth as similar to an apple, there is a thin enamel layer, a thicker dentin core and the pulp of the tooth in the middle. Tooth staining occurs when the enamel wears away, allowing the dentin to show through and become stained by different foods and drinks.
Teeth staining is experienced by many people, from wine connoisseurs to curry aficionados around the world. Unfortunately, once the enamel layer has worn away, there is no regrowing it. So what can we do to keep our teeth pearly white?
You don’t need to cut out staining food entirely to enjoy a whiter smile!
Don’t panic, if you follow these simple tricks then you can help maintain a whiter shade to your teeth for years to come.Eat and Drink Your Way to a Brighter Smile
Try to reduce the amount of exposure your teeth get from acidic and heavily staining foods and drinks. Acidic substances work to weaken the enamel of our teeth, which in turn leads to teeth becoming highly susceptible to staining from food and drink.
Food and drinks that are highly staining are usually darker in colour and contain pigments which bind to our teeth, creating a yellow or brown tinge. Chromogens are one of the worst perpetrators and they are contained in red wine, tea, coffee, a variety of berries, fizzy drinks and many types of sweets. Reducing the amount of these foods in your diet will help you avoid staining.
Rinse and Repeat
Immediately after drinking red wine (or any heavily staining food or beverage), if you swish around with water, you'll remove a lot of those stains, which will help you to restore normal pH levels in your mouth, preventing further decay or staining.
On the Upside
It’s not all bad news though as one study featured in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that red wine antioxidants stopped plaque creating bacteria from sticking to our gums!
Don’t Brush Away All Your Hard Work
A rough and ready approach to bushing your teeth can lead to an increase in enamel wear and tear, especially after consumption of acidic foods. The proper technique is to gently move the brush in a circular motion at a 45-degree angle for roughly two minutes. You should also consider replacing your toothbrush every couple of months to ensure the bristles are both clean and straight, so they can effectively work between and around your teeth to remove plaque.
Additionally, when you brush you should spit out the toothpaste, but don’t rinse your mouth out. This keeps the fluoride in contact with your teeth for longer to more effectively coat your teeth.
The Golden Rules
As always, enjoy everything in moderation and remember that the most effective solution remains to stick to an effective oral-hygiene regimen, brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing, maintaining a balanced diet and getting check-ups at your dentist regularly.
Laser Teeth Whitening
If you have experienced staining and want to reverse the process to experience a visibly whiter shade, you need to have a teeth whitening treatment performed, which will lighten your teeth by up to 10 shades. The treatment takes place over three quick and easy twenty minute sessions, which are held in a row to make a full one hour process. Find out more here.
