MILAN — Most of us can’t live without a daily dose of coffee to jump-start the day, but over time this morning routine can cause teeth very noticeable stains. Coffee contains ingredients called tannins, which are a type of polyphenol that breaks down in water. They are also found in beverages like wine or tea.
Tannins cause color compounds to stick to your teeth. When these compounds stick, they can leave an unwanted yellow hue behind. It only takes one cup of coffee a day to cause stained teeth.
How can you avoid tooth discoloration without giving up your favorite morning drink? Here are five tips from the website The Carousel.
#1 Change how you drink your coffee
There are only so many ways we can drink coffee. I can confidently assume that you do so like everyone else, sipping bit by bit from your cup and mug. But if you want to prevent teeth staining, you might want to consider using a straw. You’ll be thinking “I don’t drink iced coffee!”, but I’m talking about hot coffee. At first, it will seem strange to be sipping your hot cup of morning coffee from a straw, but what it does do is prevent contact between the actual coffee and your teeth.
Coffee is acidic and when in contact with teeth will stain. A straw can help you to completely avoid that.
#2 Add a splash of milk
If you’re like me and you take your coffee black, you’ll be dreading this one. The reality is, the colour of your coffee determines the strength of the staining. If you’re coffee is lighter (thanks to the milk), then it’s more likely have a lesser negative effect on your teeth. This doesn’t mean make your coffee a heavy latte, instead, a small splash of milk will do in altering the colour. Who knows? You might even find it more enjoyable.
#3 Choose a coffee with less caffeine
Let’s face it, we drink coffee every morning for that little kick up the backside that it gives us – and also for the taste. But drinking coffee with lower doses of caffeine can go ways towards preventing teeth staining. If you’re purely drinking for the taste, why not switch to decaf? If that’s not an option, try and find a less potent coffee or simply drink less per day.
#4 Brush 30 minutes after you drink your coffee
Coffee’s acidity is what stains our teeth, but keep in mind that brushing your teeth directly after having your cup of coffee can actually be worse as it weakens tooth enamel and increases staining.
#5 Have your teeth whitened
If all the above has not worked, no need to worry, most of the time, a simple clean at the dentist will significantly reduce the trick. If not, ask your dentist for a whitening session. For home remedies, you can buy whitening toothpaste, good quality toothbrushes, whitening strips and even brush your teeth with baking soda twice a month.
Dentists recommend no more than two cups of coffee a day, that plus some of the above tips, and you should be able to fight off those yellow coffee stains on your teeth.
