The teeth-whitening commercials are endless. There is a high chance that you have seen a new teeth-whitening product while recently scrolling on social media. Teeth whitening is also typical chatter that you could hear from your dentist’s office in South Austin. If you have seen your teeth and they don’t look as pearl white as they used to be, you will be tempted to “fix” them. However, you may not know what causes teeth staining or how to prevent it. It is vital to know about teeth staining to help you keep a set of white teeth. Here are essential teeth staining questions answered.

What Causes Teeth Staining?

There are quite a few reasons for tooth discoloration and dental health problems. They include food, drinks, smoking, stain-causing particles within the tooth enamel, and even aging.

How Can Teeth Staining Be Prevented?

Seeing that aging itself can cause teeth staining can feel scary. So how can prevention be achieved? It’s actually pretty easy. Avoiding certain foods and beverages that cause teeth staining is a good start. You should also quit smoking and keep up with good oral care routines, including brushing twice daily, rinsing with mouthwash and flossing daily, chewing sugar-free gum between meals, and seeing your dentist at least twice a year.

What Foods Stain Teeth?

Avoiding food can seem like a tough ask. However, foods that will stain your teeth include red pasta sauces, berries such as blueberries and raspberries, and bright curries. These contribute to tooth staining as they are bright and bold in color. Other foods of the exact nature will also likely contribute to staining.

What Drinks Cause Teeth Staining?

Like food, drinks with bold colors are likely to cause teeth staining. Coffee and tea, red wines, and dark sodas cause teeth staining. Daily consumption will lead to faster staining.

Does Green Tea Stain Teeth?

Tea of all colors is known to erode enamel and have shown to stain teeth. This includes white and green teas.

Do Braces Stain Teeth?

People often notice mild stains once braces are removed. However, it is not the braces that cause the staining.  The stains usually depend on how well the teeth were taken care of while the braces were on. People with braces should avoid using whitening products. Doing this will over whiten the areas surrounding the brackets alone, leaving the area within.

Does Activated Charcoal Help with Teeth Staining?

Trends come and go, and one that has been grasped for a while is using activated charcoal for teeth whitening. It is also claimed to remove toxins and odor using natural properties. It is even showing up in products such as soap and toothpaste. However, looking at its negative side effects and lack of proven results may not be worth it.

Are all Types of Tooth Stains Reversible?

When looking at a nasty stain on the mirror, you can be inclined to think that it is irreversible. However, there are three primary ways teeth are stained: surface, under-surface, and age-related stains. All three can benefit from teeth whitening processes.

Austin Dental provides premium white cleaning services. Contact us today for more information.