Our teeth are the first to come in contact with the foods we eat which makes them highly vulnerable and susceptible to stains since the enamel of teeth is porous. Colors of the food and drinks are absorbed by the teeth and stains become embedded leading to a yellow appearance. However it is not just the foods we eat that need to be considered for tooth color but also the acidity of them. All those foods and beverages which are acidic can make a huge difference to the teeth color. If a food or drink could leave permanent stain on clothes or carpets than your teeth are no different. Also the temperature of the foods or drink we take in makes a huge difference as it enables the tooth to contract or expand accordingly making penetrations of the stains easier.

Here are a few foods or beverages which are very common in our diets and are causing tooth discoloration.

Tea : Tea has a lot of staining power because of its high tannin content and the fact that it is drank at high temperatures just adds to its staining power. To avoid damage to your teeth it is advised to go for green or white herbal teas instead of dark colored teas.

Coffee: Coffee has a dark color and acidic natures which easily gets on the tooth enamel. Drinking it with milk may lower its staining power.

Red Wine: Wine can reduce inflammation and may be good for gum disease but its dark color and high tannins content makes it stain your teeth.

Fruit Juices: Juices especially the darker ones like Cranberry and Grapes leave color to the teeth and tongue. Eating whole fruit is more tooth friendly.

Coloured Candy: Candies that are hard and colored along with popsicles contain a lot of colorants which are transferred to the tooth enamel and absorbed into it. Try opting for sugarless gums with no artificial colors for healthier teeth.

Dressings, Soy Sauce and Balsamic Vinegar: Dark liquids that you add to your food, especially acidic ones, leave behind nasty stains. Opt for lighter colored condiments such as rice vinegar or lemon.

Ketchup and tomato sauce: Tomato based sauces can deeply stain teeth as they have a high level of acidity in them and have dark red hues. Also dressings and barbecue sauces are known to have a high staining power.

Curry: This popular Indian Spice is a well known tooth stainer. It has a natural yellow color and leaves a reddish tinge to the teeth.