How To Stop Tea And Coffee Staining Teeth

Within this blog we will be covering all the key points to know about how to stop tea and coffee staining teeth. This includes whether tea and coffee stains teeth, how to avoid and prevent stains, and other items to look out for.

Does tea and coffee stain teeth?

A general rule of thumb to remember with regards to teeth staining substances, is if it can stain your clothes, then it can stain your teeth. Subsequently, tea and coffee are likely to stain your teeth, due to ingredients called tannins, which are a form of polyphenol which breaks down in water. These tannins will lead to colour compounds sticking to teeth and when they stick, they can leave an unwanted yellow hue behind. This can occur from just as little as a cup of coffee a day to instigate these issues.

Alongside staining, drinks like tea and coffee can cause further issues. This includes instigating bacteria growth in the mouth and subsequently leading to tooth/enamel erosion. In turn, this can make teeth become thinner and more brittle over time. Another issue caused by these drinks is pungent breath, as the drink residue sticks to the tongue.

Avoiding tea and coffee stains on teeth

While tea and coffee can be problematic, you do not have to cut them out completely to avoid stains. Some tips on avoiding stains but still drinking your favourite beverages have been outlined below

• A key tip can be changing your diet to incorporate certain foods which help with remedying stains. This includes certain raw fruits/vegetables such as strawberries or lemons which contain natural fibres that clean teeth by breaking down bacteria.
• A simple, but nevertheless effective tip, is brushing a minimum of twice a day and for a period of 2 minutes each time.
• As tea/coffee is acidic it is essential to clean your teeth following any consumption, in fact, this is true after consuming all acidic items as it weakens enamel and leads to staining.
• Make regular dental appointments because professional dental cleanings can often deal with stains that tea or coffee can cause.
• Try drinking your iced tea/coffee through a straw to reduce stain risk. Also ensure you rinse your mouth and brush your teeth within 30 minutes of consumption.
• Utilise an electric toothbrush, if possible, as it can act as a more effective method against stains than a manual brush.
• Try your best to avoid creamers and sugars in your beverage to limit the potential for bacteria growth. Furthermore, consume the beverage in a quick period of time to also limit bacteria growth, ideally followed by water to rinse your mouth of this bacteria.
• Try out home remedies to see if they are effective for your teeth, such as baking soda which if used a couple times a month, can potentially whiten teeth and reduce stains.
• A straightforward way to deal with stains is to simply reduce tea/coffee intake. For example, drink a single cup in the morning and then thoroughly clean/rinse your mouth afterwards
• Try using whitening products such as toothpaste, trays, or strips. However, ensure they are approved products and seek dental advice before proceeding with any of them.

Other items to avoid:

While we have been focused on tea and coffee causing stains on your teeth, they are not the only items you should be looking out for. To maintain a pearly white smile and avoid stains you have to be aware of all potentially staining items. Some key items to look out for have been outlined below, however, it is not an exhaustive list.

• Sports drinks such as Lucozade or Gatorade
• Wines, usually red wines, or rose’s
• Any sticky or hard candy/sweets
• Most berries, especially blueberries, blackberries, and cherries
• Lollies and iced popsicles
• Any tomato-based products such as sauces
• Soft drinks, especially colas

If you would like to discuss a professional teeth whitening treatment, don’t hesitate to contact a member of the team. We would love to help.