Coffee

Coffee Alternatives to Keep Your Teeth White

Jan 01, 2023

Dental professionals constantly battle with their patients regarding coffee intake. The love-and-hate relationship has to do with the negative impacts of coffee on teeth. On one hand, coffee is an incredible drink to keep you energized during the day. However, on the other hand, coffee is a highly staining drink that will yellow your teeth over time. The good news is that dentists have various alternatives that can substitute coffee so you can maintain your pearly white teeth.

How Does Coffee Stain Teeth?

Usually, drinks with high levels of both acid and tannins will stain your teeth. These components seep into the pores of your teeth’ enamels, leaving behind dark stains. It applies to tea as much as to coffee. The darker you prefer your coffee or tea, the more it is likely to stain your teeth. Dentists recommend forgoing such drinks altogether, especially if you care about teeth brightness.

Ideal Alternatives to Coffee

If you need caffeine to get your mornings started, it can be hard to imagine life without coffee. However, a few alternatives can give you a similar experience to coffee, including the following:

  1. Yerba mate – is a caffeinated drink from South America, rich in antioxidants.
  2. Rooibos – has a nutty flavor that is a perfect alternative to coffee.
  3. Lemon water
  4. Apple cider vinegar
  5. White tea
  6. Decaf coffee – contains less caffeine than regular coffee.
  7. Milk
  8. Cold brew coffee – has reduced staining effects on teeth.

Even with the many alternatives to coffee, you may still stain your teeth. Technically, coffee is not the only beverage or drink that can stain your teeth. Therefore, even when substituting your coffee for a different drink, be intentional about its contents. For example, switching from coffee to black tea will not benefit your smile.

Besides, if you abandon coffee yet still drink sodas or soy sauces, your teeth will eventually get stained. Therefore, maintaining white teeth should be all-rounded, not just focused on how much coffee you take.

Other Tips to Help Maintain White Teeth

Acid coffee drinkers will still struggle with the thought of giving up their favorite drink. Therefore, if any alternatives to drinking coffee do not sit well with you, try incorporating some preventive dentistry measures to maintain your teeth’ color. Some of the following tips should help you manage your teeth’ color despite drinking coffee:

  1. Rinse your teeth off quickly, immediately after taking coffee – this works well for patients that cannot resist the urge to have coffee in the morning.
  2. Add some cream – adding milk to your coffee can help neutralize the compounds in coffee that cause staining.
  3. Use straws when drinking pigmented fluids. If you must have coffee, consider using a straw to drink it. It reduces contact between coffee and your teeth’ surfaces.
  4. Drink a lot of water – keep sipping water throughout the day. It is a great way to wash down the pigments from foods and flush down food residues. Further, water neutralizes the acidity in the mouth, reducing enamel erosion.
  5. Use a fluoride whitening toothpaste – it will maintain the brightness of teeth while keeping the enamel strong and healthy.
  6. Visit your dentist routinely – you need regular dental exams and cleanings to maintain a healthy mouth. Besides, at All Smiles Dental Care, we will tell you if you need teeth whitening treatment or retreatment to maintain bright and white teeth.
  7. Brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes to keep them free from plaque between routine dental checkups and cleanings.
  8. Floss daily to target food residues and plaque that get trapped between teeth.

Are Coffee Stains Permanent?

The good news is that coffee stains are not permanent on teeth. However, it depends on how long you allow the stains to build up. If you are always drinking coffee and hardly brushing your teeth, you will eventually develop more complex teeth stains. Some of the ways to remove coffee stains from teeth are:

  1. Professional teeth whitening – is an in-office treatment that bleaches teeth enamel to remove stains.
  2. Whitening strips for use at home
  3. Whitening toothpaste
  4. Excellent oral hygiene

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