How to avoid coffee stains on your teeth

Many people complain about stains on their teeth due to excessive coffee drinking. Tooth stains from coffee are caused by numerous polyphenols found in coffee which adhere to the outside of your teeth. In order to limit coffee stains on your teeth, the basic way is to do anything which will limit the number of polyphenols that come into contact with your teeth. On the other hand, these polyphenols provide protection to your teeth from acids and provide coffee with the unique and complex flavour that people sip away and enjoy. What’s important is to keep a balance between the polyphenol intakes, with which you’re comfortable yourself.

Here are a few tips, through which you can keep on enjoying your everyday morning coffee and at the same, keeping your teeth stainless.

Coffee with high-fat milk

• Drink your coffee with high-fat animal milk in it. No, it’s definitely not because milk is white, but instead animal milk proteins bind polyphenols, moreover, the binding level is better when the fat content of the milk is higher.

Brush and floss

• Brush and floss your teeth every time you consume coffee. The longer the amount of time for which the coffee liquid stays on your teeth, the intensity of the staining will be higher. So, keep a brush and toothpaste with you at all times, so that you can clean your teeth soon after having a cup of coffee (might as well go for disposable toothbrushes with built-in toothpaste in the bristle). On the other hand, since plaque attracts stains, it is important to floss regularly, along with brushing your teeth, so that both the inner and outer side of your teeth remain stain free.

Whitening products

• Use whitening products regularly, to keep your teeth stain-free. There are tons of whitening toothpaste, teeth whitening kits mouthwashes in the market, go for any one of them which you find appropriate. There’s also sugar-free gum available in the market, which you can buy and chew all the time, to reduce stains, since they’re designed to help prevent and treat stains on the tooth. Since chewing gum produces saliva, it will help your mouth to stay clean and fresh.

Arabica beans

• Drink coffee which has been made from 100% Arabica beans, which are dry processed. These beans contain fewer polyphenols and less caffeine, as well.

Visit your dentist

• Whiten your teeth every now and then. Visit your dentist every couple of months to take their opinion on how to reduce stains or make your teeth more resistant to coffee stains. Since dentists have more knowledge and experience, it is better to take their advice on which whitening products to use which will provide the best colour stability for your type of teeth.

Reduce contact

• Try to reduce contact of coffee with your teeth. You can do this by sipping it all in really quickly so that coffee doesn’t stay in your mouth for longer periods of time. Moreover, you can consider drinking with a straw aimed at the back of your tongue, or through the little stir stick from the coffee shop instead of gulping it in through slow sips.