However, red wine isn’t the only culprit. Other dark, fruit-flavored wines can easily stain teeth as well. But what exactly causes this popular alcoholic drink to stain your teeth? Here, we break down the elements that come together to give wine its reputation for causing tooth discoloration.

Chromogens

Chromogens are microorganisms that produce pigments, meaning colors. Chromogens are present in coffee, red wine, and even cigarette smoke [1]. Other foods high in chromogens include berries—including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries—in addition to cherries and tomatoes.

These microorganisms are infamous for sticking to teeth and causing tooth enamel to stain. This is why drinking wine with a buffer such as plain old water or eating food with your drink can help lessen its staining effects!

Tannins

Tannic acid is a specific form of tannin, which is a naturally-occurring chemical found in foods and drinks. Wine contains a significant amount of tannic acid [2].

While tannic acid has antioxidant benefits among other health benefits for the body, it’s also a prime culprit in tooth staining. In fact, tannin actually helps chromogens stain tooth enamel, so the two work together to create a darker shade for your pearly whites.

Other beverages and foods that contain tannic acid include grapes, green tea, turmeric, and even walnuts.

The Porous Nature of Tooth Enamel

Tooth enamel is porous in nature [3]. What this means is that although our teeth are strong and designed to resist damage, they are still subject to staining and the effects of bacteria and plaque.

Fortunately, teeth that have been stained by red wine are usually able to be brightened with professional tooth whitening. Since these stains are extrinsic, meaning they’re affected by outside sources, they can usually be removed with regular professional teeth cleanings and whitening as necessary.

However, even after your teeth are whitened, you’ll need to take care to minimize the effect of wine on your teeth to maintain your white smile. You can drink water or eat food with your wine, and visit your dentist for checkups and cleanings to minimize the effects of this beverage on your smile!

If your teeth have taken on a darker hue due to your love for wine, don’t be alarmed. Schedule an appointment with your dentist to help remove these stains and discuss how you can help keep your smile white while still enjoying wine!

Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4058574/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3509470/#B16-ijerph-09-03530
3. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2014.00388/full

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Plaque is that sticky, colorless pelicule of bacteria that forms on teeth, making them feel fuzzy. It is most visible when we don’t brush our teeth and, by all intents and purposes, it is a true slimy lair of bacteria and the substances they produce. If left untreated this biofilm leads to the damage of tooth enamel, cavity formations, gum diseases, formation of tartar or calculus on the teeth, bad breath and many other dental health disorders. While you can try some reliable halitosis cure methods, ending up on the dentist’s chair to fix cavities and infections just because you indulge in your bad habits is not like a walk in the park. Let’s see today the most common five bad habits that lead to tooth plaque.

1. Poor Oral Hygiene

Forgetting to brush at least twice a day, poor brushing habits, forgetting to floss and skipping your dental visits lead in time to the formation of plaque which can lead to the more dangerous problems mentioned above. Don’t allow plaque to proliferate and become something more health threatening! Brush at least once in the morning and once in the evening and floss daily. Plaque proliferates also in between the teeth and without flossing, you risk more severe damages. Bad brushing is also an encouraging factor for plaque thriving. Brush for the recommended 2 minutes, don’t skin the side of the teeth and the tongue, brush as close as possible to the gums’ line and make sure you reach the teeth in the back.

2. You Eat Junk Food

Sugar and starches are the number one type of foods that contain carbohydrates and leave traces and particulates on your teeth. Cakes, candy, milk and dairy products, sodas, and soft drinks entertain the thriving of bacteria. The bacteria in turn produce acid. In time and with the improper oral health care, these acids lead to the formation of plaque and tooth decay, rotting away the enamel. What few people know is that plaque can also thrive on the tooth roots under the gums thus causing breakdowns of the bones supporting the teeth. If you have such snacks in between your meals, brush your teeth, floss and use antibacterial rinse so you can keep the bacteria causing plaque and gum disease to a minimum.

3. Smoking

Now smoking is a general health problem which unfortunately begins in your mouth. Prolonged smoking leads to plaque build-up, yellow and stained teeth, tooth decay, discolorations, gum diseases, tooth loss, serious cases of bad breath, sore and dry mouth and tongue, and even tongue and cheeks sores and diseases. Of course, smoking can also be a contributing factor to oral cancer and mouth skin / lips irritations or skin conditions (rashes, sores etc.).

Quitting smoking isn’t a walk in the park either and it needs plenty of will and support. Many times it can also require medical and psychological support – but it would be for your own good. In case you can’t quit smoking yet, try brushing your teeth and use antibacterial mouth rinse every chance you get during the day.

4. Your Daily Cups of Java

Your morning coffee might be the only thing to actually wake you up for a new day, but the rest of the coffee cups you pour during work hours or in the evening aren’t as beneficial for your teeth as they might be for you. In fact, since we are here talking about caffeine, what you should know is that too much intake of your daily fuel might actually make you feel exhausted and fatigued due to its rebound effects.

Back to the teeth, coffee does stain your teeth almost immediately and leads up to their over-time yellowing. Of course, being slightly acidic itself, it also entertains the formation of plaque. But while you can still brush and floss in the morning after you had your first coffee cup, it is harder to cut down its effects on your teeth during the work day. Coffee leaves your mouth dry and if you love it with some cream and sugar, well… remember what we said earlier about too much sugar? Cavities and tooth decay, together with tartar are the most probable negative side effects. While the first mug of coffee is acceptable, try replacing the next cups with tea or sugarless natural fruit juices – and use mouth rinse to clear off bacteria in case you can’t brush at the office.

5. Drinking Wine

A glass of red (and natural, high-quality) wine is actually healthy for your heart and circulatory system, but bad for your teeth. Red wines stain your teeth immediately and cause them to yellow. Also, being acidic, they do entertain plaque. The chromogens in the wine (active pigments in red wine) have immediate staining effects. The pigments will set on the tooth enamel as it is not smooth. In order to avoid that, brush and floss the teeth before drinking the wine and try to take a sip of water in between two sips of wine. After you finished dinner or the glass, brush again or use mouth rinse to prevent bacteria from thriving (if you are in a restaurant for instance).

These are just a few bad habits that entertain plaque and its subsequent oral health issues. If you can’t get rid of them altogether, at least don’t skip your dental appointments and follow your doctor’s orders.

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1. Tea – More than coffee, more than wine, tea has serious staining potential. Black tea contains a high amount of tannins, food compounds that increase the ability of chromogens to attach to dental enamel.White or green teas don’t stain as much as black tea, but they still have staining potential.

2. Wine – Red wine is acidic and contains tannins and chromogens, but even white wine can stain teeth. In studies, white wine drinking has been shown to increase the staining potential of other things, like tea, on teeth.

3. Coffee- Coffee could be chosen as the number one teeth stainer, but that’s based on the fact that people overall drink more coffee than tea or wine. Coffee actually is not quite as threatening to white teeth as tea because, while it has plenty of tannins, it has less chromogens. Still, the several-cups-a-day habit that many people have can build up stains.

4. Cola – Diet or not, cola contains chromogens, and it is highly acidic. All carbonated beverages have an acid content that can promote staining by other foods and beverages, so even light-colored sodas that may not actually cause stains promote staining in general.

5. Berries – Natural, unsweetened foods are good for you in many ways, but unfortunately, many highly colored berries and fruits are big teeth stainers. These include blueberries, cranberries, cherries, red grapes and pomegranates. Likewise, juices, jams or pies made with these fruits carry the staining potential.

You can combat staining by beverages by drinking through a straw when possible or convenient, and by rinsing your mouth with water after eating or drinking stain-causing foods. Chewing sugar-free gum can also help to wash away food particles by promoting saliva production. Here’s to a white, happy smile!

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