It can be embarrassing to look in the mirror and see less-than-white pearly whites smiling back at you. Sparkling white teeth can make you feel confident and self-assured, while yellowed teeth can leave you wanting to shyly hide your smile. There are many things that can cause your smile to look a little more creamy yellow than white, from genetics (some people just get lucky, you know?) to lifestyle behaviors — such as skipping a few too many brushings or flossings, smoking or chewing tobacco, or even eating certain foods. Many of the foods that commonly cause staining contain "little bits of acid called tannins," Monicah Johnson, the head dental hygienist at Chicago's Downtown Dental, tells us. Those tannins cling to teeth and can yellow your teeth over time, especially if you eat or drink these foods regularly or indulge in excess.

While rinsing those acids off of your teeth soon after eating or drinking an offending food product can help keep some of the worst of the potential staining at bay, continuing to include those items in your diet will likely eventually cause your teeth to stain. Eliminating them entirely is the only surefire way to prevent stains. That's the bad news. Maybe even worse? Teeth that have a yellow, brown or otherwise off-color hue can make you look much older than you are. Not great. But knowing which foods may be dulling your smile — and how you can keep those embarrassing stains to a minimum — is the key to keeping your teeth (and smile) beautiful.

✔Pasta sauce

Between the bright red color and the acidity of tomatoes, pasta sauce can, perhaps unsurprisingly, cause stains. Johnson said the Downtown Dental team advises patients looking to keep their teeth white while still enjoying a bowl of pasta from time to time to choose an appetizer of broccoli, spinach, or other green veggies. They can leave a sort of "protective film" on the surface of your teeth, preventing the sauce from clinging to them and eventually causing stains.

✔ Curry

Curries' bright colors can, over time, cause your teeth to take on a more yellow-looking hue. If you eat many meals that incorporate turmeric, curry powders or spice blends, and other stain-inducing spices, you might find your teeth aren't looking quite as white. As with tomato-based sauces, the Downtown Dental team suggests incorporating lots of fresh fruits and veggies into meals with curry, as well as lots and lots of water.

✔ Berries

Summery blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries can all leave your teeth with a little less of a luster. These berries often cause stains similar in appearance to red wine stains. Berry stains are tricky to combat. According to Johnson, drinking lots water during and after eating berries can help prevent staining. It's important to note, however, that she also cautions against immediately brushing your teeth.

"[Y]ou want to rinse the acids off right away. You don't want to brush it into the enamel, but drinking water immediately or during (as you're eating them) just helps it not sit there as long," she explains to us.

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