Coffee holds a high standard in many people’s hearts. For some, having a wake-me-up coffee is the most special part of the day. The scent, warmth and taste coffee gives is unmatched. Not to be a buzzkill, but coffee comes with a price – teeth stains. The delicious drink can cause yellowing discolorations, so it is important to know how to stop that from happening. 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 fight back against coffee stains.
Always try to brush your teeth
The best way to protect your teeth against staining is to brush them right after your cup of coffee. Brushing your teeth is something we all should do twice a day anyway. Therefore, scheduling your brush time after you drink your coffee gives you a leg up. The immediate brushing will lessen any time for the coffee to leave permanent stains.
Rinse your mouth out
The next best bet against coffee stains is to rinse your mouth. If you don’t carry your toothbrush with you everywhere it’s okay. If you don’t have your toothbrush, grab some water and swoosh like mouthwash. Swooshing away the stains is super easy and can make a huge difference in your teeth color shade.
Straws are amazing
A popular way 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. The next time you stop for coffee, make sure to grab a straw.
Utilize 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 in our teeth. There could be stains hiding between your teeth that you don’t even realize. Therefore, flossing after coffee can get rid of sneaky stains.
Creamer doesn’t make your coffee better
People might make an assumption that staining occurs only when the coffee is black. The logic being, 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 to prevent it from staining!
Keep up with the dentist visits
Make sure that you are visiting your dentist twice a year. This is very important for oral health, but for stains in particular. Dentists are teeth 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 number 1 person to talk to. At Philly Dentistry, your dentist would see if you would be interested in a smile makeover, porcelain veneers, or a whitening treatment. We are here to keep you happy and healthy!
Don’t drink coffee all day long
We aren’t saying you should be drinking your coffee in one sip (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. Stalling while drinking your coffee only prolongs the opportunity for stains to settle in and make their mark.
Consider treatment plans
Again, your dentist is the best person to get advice from. Talking about your smile concerns is the only way treatments can be set up. Cosmetic dentistry might be something you would be interested in if you want whiter teeth. Cosmetic dentistry can take your smile from ‘OK’ to perfect. Check out our site on cosmetic dentistry to learn about all of the treatments we provide.
We hope you take our coffee hacks into consideration next time you have your morning cup. 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.