A beautiful white smile for the holidays

With the Holidays upon us, many people in Montréal are making an effort to look their best. This includes having a beautiful white smile. Many of our patients ask us how they can maintain their smile radiant after whitening treatments. Our hygienist, Lina Dawli, at Prisma Dentistes warns of these 6 beverages which have the potential to stain your pearly smile.

Sports and energy drinks

Running around to check off your shopping list for the Holidays might require extra energy, but consuming energy beverages will not do your smile any good. They are highly acidic, which can damage the enamel, and usually contain loads of sugar, which creates the best condition for bacterial growth.

Water is your best friend to stay hydrated.

Coffee

Due to it having a substance called tannins, coffee is dark in colour, which can yellow your teeth with frequent and prolonged use. Also, it is highly acidic, which can wear away your tooth enamel.

Most people find it hard to give up coffee; instead, we recommend adding milk or a milk substitute to your java to tone down its staining affects. In Vienna, they always serve coffee with a glass of lukewarm water to rinse off the coffee. This may be a good trend to start in Canada!

Tea

Many types of tea contain natural fluoride, which is good for the enamel. However, teas can also stain teeth. Tea is generally less acidic than coffee, but it still contains tannins.

If you love drinking tea, you can add milk or a milk substitute to it. You can also try drinking lighter coloured herbal teas. A glass of lukewarm water can also be an option to wash off the staining effect.

Red wine

A common denominator among coffee, tea and wine is tannins. Yes, red wine can definitely stain your teeth. The more frequent/prolonged exposure to tannins, the more likely your teeth will be stained.

After you drink a glass of wine, rinse your mouth with plenty of water. Brush your teeth 20-30 minutes after drinking red wine.

 White wine

White wine is light in colour but a lot more acidic than red wine. When the acidity attacks tooth enamel, it breaks down the protective hard layer of the tooth and exposes the yellow layer that is underneath. This gives the tooth a yellower look as if it is stained. If you want to enjoy a glass of white wine with dinner make sure you rinse your mouth with enough water to prevent the acidity from impacting your teeth.

Fruit juices

Fruit juices contain a lot of sugar and are usually very acidic. Similar to sports drinks, the sugar helps feed the bacteria. The acidity destroys enamel surface.

Moreover, darker fruit juices, such as grape and cranberry juice, have the potential to yellow teeth.

Water is remains the healthiest choice.

Note that eating a piece of cheese before drinking these beverages can help reduce the effects of acidity on teeth.

Happy Holidays!