Everyone wants a bright, gleaming smile. While whitening treatments can be an effective solution, you still want to do everything you can to prevent adding unnecessary stains to your teeth. Cosmetic dentistry can be a life-saver, but why create more work for your dentist and darken your smile between treatments more than you need to?

One of the biggest ways you can keep your smile looking fantastic is by avoiding foods that stain your teeth. Here are some of the biggest ones to watch out for.

Coffee

Who doesn’t love a hot cup of coffee in the morning? Unfortunately, coffee contains a chemical compound called tannins. Prolonged exposure to these tannins (in the form of a third cup of coffee to keep you awake during a work meeting) can encourage colors to stick to your teeth.

If you’re serious about preventing stains without sacrificing your caffeine habit, consider switching to iced coffee. Drinking through a straw limits the beverage’s contact with your teeth, which can help reduce stains. (And it’s iced coffee season right now anyway!)

Tea

Tea is a delicious way to get your caffeine along with some health benefits, but unfortunately it can stain your teeth even more than coffee. Black tea is the worst offender, but even herbal and white teas can wear away your enamel and cause stains.

Luckily, there’s a quick change you can make to your afternoon cup of tea that can significantly reduce tea’s staining ability: adding a splash of 2% milk. Researchers believe that casein, one form of protein found in milk, is to thank for this.

Richly-Colored Sauces

Soy sauce, tomato sauce, and curries all have ingredients that can stain your teeth over time. When you can, gravitate toward lighter-colored or creamier sauces, which have less staining power. And when you do indulge, brush your teeth and rinse soon after eating.

Sports Drinks

Exposure to anything acidic can erode your enamel over time. Consider fueling your workouts with water instead – it’s plenty for most workouts anyway.

Red Wine

Unfortunately, your delicious glass of pinot is also very acidic. That means it can roughen and open your enamel, letting your teeth take on the colors of the foods and drinks you consume. Brush your teeth after enjoying your glass of red.

Berries

Darkly-pigmented berries like blackberries, pomegranates, and blueberries can penetrate your teeth’s enamel. This also applies to darkly-pigmented juices like cranberry, beet, grape, and pomegranate.

Candy

Unfortunately, this includes chocolate. But sugary candies with lots of dyes can settle on the enamel. Think about how as a kid, if you ate too many Skittles, your tongue would turn red or blue. It’s the same basic principle.

You might not be able to avoid these foods entirely – and you shouldn’t expect yourself to. They’re delicious and many of them are nutritious. But knowing what foods stain teeth is valuable so you can enjoy them in moderation or take steps to prevent staining. And if all else fails, your dentist is always there to get your teeth back to their bright and shining state.