With the holidays right around the corner, you may be faced with a few tough decisions when it comes to your diet. Eggnog is plentiful, Christmas cookies are overflowing on dessert platters, and those who love red wine are celebrating with a glass at every turn. All of these delicacies sound great, but what are they doing to your teeth?<\/p>\n
Your dentist is here to shed some light on how your diet could be affecting the shade of your smile. If you\u2019ve noticed your smile getting darker and darker, your dentist can also help you with professional teeth whitening!<\/p>\n
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Do you maintain great dental hygiene habits at home, but have still noticed your smile darken despite your best efforts? You may not want to go into the new year with stained teeth\u2014with the help of your dentist, you don\u2019t have to! Your dentist can help you achieve whiter teeth and maintain them by avoiding these following foods and drinks.<\/p>\n
Your favorite coffee shops probably have tasty holiday-flavored drinks like pumpkin spice lattes or peppermint frappes. The extra flavors and sweeteners we add to our morning beverage are also extremely sugary, leading to acid breaking down your tooth enamel. This makes your teeth more susceptible to stains.<\/p>\n
One of the staples to a successful Thanksgiving dinner is the dark red, sweet cranberry sauce. Who doesn\u2019t love adding that bit of sweetness to your wholesome Thanksgiving plate? Although they\u2019re yummy, dark berries can stain the teeth if you don\u2019t rinse your mouth with water after.<\/p>\n
Believe it or not, even the sauces we enjoy along with other foods may cause your teeth to darken over time. If your family has a tradition of having lasagna over the holidays as a family dinner or even if you don\u2019t feel like cooking and have pizza, be sure to brush your teeth after. The red pasta sauces could change the color of your smile.<\/p>\n
Red wine has the similar enamel weakening acid and dark pigment that threaten the strength and whiteness of your teeth. Drinking red wine is always fun and games, especially when you\u2019re with family and friends during the holidays\u2014until you look in the mirror. You may have wine teeth because red wine contains higher amounts of sugar that can lead to weakening tooth enamel, causing your smile to change shades.<\/p>\n