Don’t Guzzle the Green Beer

It’s that time of year again! Say hello to wearing green clothes, eating corned beef and cabbage, and even drinking green beer. Green is the keyword here when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, it wouldn’t be the same holiday without it!

This week, we asked our staff about the effect of green food coloring on your oral health. Check out the reasons for avoiding green-dyed anything below, it might surprise you!

Unflattering Stains

Foods that have green food-dye in them, especially green beer, have a negative effect on the teeth when consumed. Remember those mouth rinses as a child that allowed you to see what plaque infested spots you missed while brushing? Well, green food coloring has this exact same affect!

Not only does green food coloring have a nasty effect of giving your teeth a stain, but do you really want others to see the plaque areas in your mouth?

Adverse Effects on the Body

Although studies have not always been conclusive when it comes to the adverse effects, there are several correlations between green dye and the body. Some of these findings include:

• Stained teeth
• Increased hyperactivity in children
• High sugar levels and processed ingredients

Restricting the diet by taking out artificially colored foods such as green dye can benefit the body as the whole, and that includes the teeth.

Don’t let all your effort go to waste! Retain that beautiful smile of yours by avoiding the green dyes, especially in beer. If your St. Patrick’s Day plans involve festive food and beverages, consider alternatives like Irish Cream which do not contain bright dyes. A smile that is tinted green may also be a sign of plaque buildup!

Contact us at Shoreline Dental Studio to find out how you can get a brighter, cleaner smile of your own!