You used to have white teeth which made your friends jealous. Since recently, however, you have noticed that your smile lost its gloss. Find out why is it so.

Foods and drinks - what to avoid in order to have white teeth?

There are a couple of different causes of tooth discoloration. Some of them can be found in our fridge, for example some fruits like blackberries, berries or cherries. They include anthocyanins, organic compounds that can contribute to discoloration. Nonetheless, if you like these fruits, you shouldn't avoid them. The only thing you should remember about is to brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth with water after each time you have eaten staining fruits.

Almost everyone knows that coffee is a stimulant that most badly affects our smile. Coffee contains tanic acids, which gives our teeth the yellowish shade. Tanins occur also in tea (mostly in the dark tea). The fact that tea contains also polyphenols and flavonids, which prevent the teeth from caries, may be a way of consolation. Similarly to some fruits, red wine also contains anthocyanins, which can cause teeth darkening.

Inappropriate oral hygiene

Brushing your teeth every day plays an important role in taking care of your smile. A change of your habits may produce really significant effects. Remember to brush your teeth at least three times a day for about 3 minutes and try to reach all the areas, the most inaccessible ones as well.

Illnesses

Some illnesses, especially those which affect enamel and dentine, may also cause discoloration. Therapies particularly affecting the shade of our teeth:

• chemotherapy
• tetracycline and doxycyline therapy
• histamine antagonist therapy
• antipsychotic therapy
• hypertension medications

Other causes of discoloration

Some of materials used in dentistry, like dental amalgam fillings such as silver suflide, may make our teeth grey. Smile goes yellow with age - surface layer of enamel erases and a yellow color of dentin becomes visible. Remember that the shade of our teeth is also affected by the excess of fluorine. Do not overuse the products which contain it, like special toothpastes, mouthwashes or oral supplements.

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