Caffeine Addicts Beware: Coffee and Tea Stains on Your Teeth are Hard to Combat

Everyone has a morning routine.  For most of us, that includes some form of caffeine – usually coffee or tea. Warm and satisfying, a cup of hot coffee or tea wakes you up and gets you ready for the day ahead.  Yet, with each cup, you’re slowly staining your teeth and dulling their shine. It’s a catch-22 for most people: give up your much-needed caffeine to preserve your smile or watch as your pearly whites become dimmer day after day.  Is there anything you can do?

Why does coffee and tea stain teeth?

Like your skin, your teeth have tiny pores.  High heat – like the temperature of a fresh-brewed cup of java – causes these pores to open.  With every sip of a piping hot cup, your beloved beverage seeps in and stains your teeth.

That’s not all!  Your favorite caffeinated beverages also contain organic substances known as tannins.  Tannins, also found in red wine, act as an astringent that decreases the water content in your drink, causing the color compounds to stick to your teeth more easily.  This causes the stained color you can’t seem to get rid of, despite how often or vigorously you brush.

Is there anything you can do to stop staining?

Coffee drinkers and tea sippers, rejoice!  You don’t need to give up your morning stimulants to save your smile.  There are ways to limit the amount of staining your morning cup of coffee or tea causes.

• Some milk in your caffeinated drink protects your teeth from stains
• You can also drink coffee or tea through a straw, to minimize tooth contact
• Another recommendation is to brush your teeth after finishing your coffee or tea

If all else fails, professional whitening services performed by a dentist can also keep frustrating stains from dulling your luminous smile.

Try to keep acidity in-check

Not only does your coffee or tea contain tannins, these drinks also tend to have high levels of acidity.  Many of the foods and beverages you consume every day contain various acids – all of which breakdown your teeth’s enamel.  As the enamel wears away, your teeth experience increased sensitivity, along with higher susceptibility to disease and damage.  Loss of enamel also leads to stronger staining, which makes enamel preservation important if you’re a caffeine addict.

Combatting acid and enamel loss takes work.  Alongside a good brushing and flossing regimen, your dental professional might recommend rinsing with water after drinking tea or coffee, to deal with acidity as well as the staining.  You can also use an enamel-strengthening toothpaste when you brush.  Since cheese has a high pH level, eating a bit after your coffee or tea helps to neutralize the acid, too.

Take control over beverage staining

If you love coffee, tea, red wine or other tooth-staining beverages, you can continue to enjoy them if you also take the time to mitigate any staining caused by them.  Plan on spending more time rinsing and keep up on your routine dental cleanings.  If you’ve tried everything to no avail, you may need professional teeth whitening to reverse the years of coffee or tea drinking.

Don’t let stained teeth stop you from smiling!