It’s no secret that coffee means a lot to people. For some, having a morning coffee is the most important part of the day. The smells, warmth, and tastes that coffee releases are incomparable. I think it’s appropriate to say that most people value coffee as a necessity. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but coffee comes with a price. Teeth stains are the worst. The delicious drink can cause yellowing discolorations, so it is important to know how to prevent that. We are here to tell you that you can still enjoy your favorite drink AND keep your teeth healthy. Here are some ways you can prevent coffee from staining your smile.
Brush your teeth
The ultimate way to protect your teeth against staining is to brush them immediately after drinking your coffee. Brushing your teeth is something we all should do twice a day anyway. Therefore, scheduling your brush time after your cup of coffee kills two birds with one stone. The immediate brushing will eliminate any time for the coffee to leave permanent stains.
Rinse your mouth
The next best thing you can do to fight back against coffee stains is to rinse your mouth. We get it, you don’t carry your toothbrush with you everywhere. So, if you don’t have your toothbrush, grab some water and swoosh away! Doing this is super easy and can make a huge difference in your teeth color shade.
Use a Straw
One of the most popular ways to avoid direct coffee-to-teeth contact is to use a straw. This is useful because the barrier that the straw provides helps prevent possible staining. Most coffee shops provide straws, so if your stopping at Dunkin Donuts, they’ve got you covered.
Floss
Flossing is something you should be doing once a day. It’s more important than you think. Flossing is done to get rid of the debris that is hidden between our teeth. There could be stains hiding between your teeth that you don’t even realize. Therefore, flossing after drinking your cup of joe can get rid of sneaky stains.
Creamer is not helping
Some might assume that staining occurs when the coffee is black. It would make sense that the darker your drink, the higher chance for staining. However, this is not true. By adding more creamer and sugar, you are only creating a bigger problem for your mouth. The more additives there are, the more plaque buildup there is, which leads to more staining. Drink your coffee and creamer in moderation!
Visit your dentist
Keep up with visiting your dentist twice a year. This is very important for oral health, but for stains in particular. Dentists are smile professionals. Therefore, they know how to clean your teeth properly and give the best oral hygiene advice. If you’re having teeth discoloration concerns, your dentist is the best person to talk to. At Philadelphia Dentistry, your dentist would see if you would be interested in a smile makeover, porcelain veneers, or a ZOOM! whitening treatment. We are here to keep you happy and healthy!
No sipping
We aren’t saying you should be drinking your coffee like a tequila shot (that would probably burn), but you shouldn’t be sipping on it all day either. Drinking your coffee in one sitting ensures that your coffee isn’t staining your teeth all day. Dilly-dallying while drinking your coffee only prolongs the opportunity for stains to settle in.
Look into treatments
So, as we said previously, your dentist is the best person to get advice from. Taking the time to visit your dentist and talk about smile concerns is the only way treatments can be done. Cosmetic dentistry might be something you would be interested in if you want whiter teeth. Cosmetic dentistry can take your smile from ‘OK’ to ‘WOW!!’ Check out our site on cosmetic dentistry to learn about all of the treatments we provide.
We hope you take our coffee drinking tips into consideration next time you stop for a coffee. To learn more about oral health, continue scrolling through our blog. To connect with us, follow us on Instagram @phillydentistry, Twitter @DrKenCirkaDMD, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook @PhiladelphiaDentistry.
