However much you love having beautiful white teeth, you may love coffee even more. Unfortunately, coffee is a common culprit when it comes to leaving stains. The good news is there are a few things you can do while drinking coffee to help prevent discoloration so you don’t have to give up your favorite beverage.
Use a Straw
One way you can reduce the chance of stains from drinking coffee is to use a straw. This, of course, makes more sense if you’re drinking iced coffee, but it does help by minimizing the amount of contact between your teeth and the liquid. If you decide to drink hot coffee with a straw, please be careful of the liquid’s temperature!
Take Sips of Water
Another way to prevent coffee stains is to take sips of water in between your sips of coffee. You can also simply rinse your mouth with water after you’ve finished your cup o’ joe. By doing so, the water can help wash away the staining bacteria instead of letting it sit there on your teeth.
Add Milk
The darker your coffee, the more deeply it might stain. A bit of animal milk in your coffee can help protect your teeth from coffee’s staining acids. Not only that but calcium-rich dairy products are actually good for maintaining strong, healthy teeth.
Switch Things Up with Tea
While you don’t have to quit drinking coffee forever, you may want to consider switching one of the cups you have during the day for tea instead. White teas and herbal teas can give you that little boost of caffeine you’re looking for and the soothing feeling of a warm beverage in hand, but with less chances of staining.
Professional Teeth Whitening at Trillium Dental
Are you still having trouble maintaining shiny pearly whites? At Trillium Dental, we offer professional teeth whitening as part of our cosmetic dental services. We’d love to invite you to our Portland dental office for a consultation so we can discuss your dream smile and what we can do to help you get there.
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