Having discoloured teeth is a product of both natural and unnatural causes. Two examples of things people simply cannot avoid are food and drinks. Today, we here at Harley Street Dental Clinic will list the optional drinks of our day-to-day that cause our teeth to go yellow—though we will not blame you for arguing whether these beverages are truly optional.
Morning
Waking up brings about a lot of possibilities. Coffee is a large contributor to productivity and good mornings. But, it is also high in chromogens, or compounds with strong pigments. Your teeth will not end up brown per se, but the acidity of coffee paired with its chromogens will cause your teeth to become more yellow over time.
Evening
Wine is also an acidic drink though this time it boasts a large amount of tannins, or compounds that make your teeth more vulnerable to stains. This is the case for white wine, and other clear/sparkling alcoholic beverages. Red wine is even more dentally harmful, since it contains chromogens on top of the tannins.
Times in Between
Yes, tea does stain teeth. More than coffee and wine, actually. It is full of tannins and is highly acidic. These drinks can cause discoloured teeth when drank on a regular basis, so looking at tea consumption in this case is almost a non-factor.
We are in no way discouraging you from drinking these beverages, but as dentists, we feel that it is important for people to know how much damage our common thirst quenchers can really bring. Fizzy drinks are an obvious culprit, but since the idea stained teeth rarely stops us from consuming the food and drinks we love, it is better to know and balance out the damage with responsible dental practices.
Contact Harley Street Dental Clinic for more information.