Do you have to choose between coffee or white teeth?

If you are a coffee lover, but worried about how the coffee can stain your teeth, you don’t have to worry about choosing between one or the other. Between advances in dental knowledge and tooth whitening technology, you don’t have to pick white teeth over a boost from some java. The team at Dallas Cosmetic Dental in Dallas, Texas, has some tips to help you avoid tooth stains all while still enjoying your caffeine pick-me-up.

Why Coffee Stains Teeth

Avid coffee drinkers may not know why coffee stains teeth. Coffee contains tannins, which are dark pigments that can stick to the enamel of teeth, causing discoloration over time. Tannins are also present in red wine, tomatoes, beets, and other dark-colored foods and drinks. Coffee stains are an extrinsic stain, meaning the stain is caused by some outside agent, like staining foods and drinks.

How to Reduce Tooth Stains From Coffee

There are a few things you can do to help minimize the staining your teeth can get from coffee. One is to drink your coffee through a straw. When drinking any beverage through a straw, it limits the contact of the liquid with the teeth. That means you are reducing the time your coffee is touching your teeth, which means those tannins don’t have as much time to come into contact with your teeth.

Another way you can reduce coffee stains is by rinsing your mouth with water after each cup of coffee you drink. Dentists also recommend brushing your teeth 30 minutes after any meal, snack, or beverage to help reduce tannins and bacteria from hanging around on your teeth.

Whitening Options That Work

If you are worried that your teeth aren’t as bright as you would like them to be, there are at-home and professional whitening options available. One simple whitening solution is to use a whitening toothpaste. It’s used like regular toothpaste when brushing your teeth, and may contain whitening agents to help achieve brightness. There are also at-home teeth whitening kits available at pharmacies and supermarkets. These kits offer a way to whiten your teeth at home, however, the results may not be as desirable as a professional whitening treatment.

For those looking for a whitening option that works, there are cosmetic dental procedures available at Dallas Cosmetic Dental. We offer two types of professional whitening treatments. The first is an in-office treatment called Zoom! Zoom uses a professional strength whitening gel that is painted on the teeth, and when combined with a high-intensity light, you can see immediate results in about an hour.

However, if you want to whiten your teeth at home, Dallas Cosmetic Dental offers an at-home whitening treatment that uses custom-fitted trays and a prescription-strength whitening gel. Depending on the brightness you want to achieve, the trays may need to be worn for a few hours at a time or just an hour at a time. You’ll be able to see results in about a week.

Foods That Naturally Whiten Teeth

If you are looking for a more natural way to help keep your teeth white, there are some foods that can help with that. Crunchy fruits and vegetables, especially carrots, celery, and apples, are known as nature’s toothbrushes because of their fibrous nature. The extra chewing that it takes with these foods can help to scrub or sweep away stains and bacteria that might be hiding out on the teeth. So if you can’t get to a toothbrush after you’ve had your cup of coffee, consider pairing a crunchy snack with your daily cup of joe to help keep your teeth white.

You don’t have to give up coffee!

If you are fond of your daily morning caffeine intake, you don’t have to compromise the whiteness of your teeth. There are many natural ways you can help keep your teeth white, like eating crunch snacks, extra brushing, or even tooth whitening treatments you can do at home. But if you feel your teeth aren’t as white as you would like them to be, the team at Dallas Cosmetic Dental can help you achieve whiter teeth though professional whitening treatments, either at home or in our office.

Remember that your dental health is important, so make sure you are brushing at least twice a day for a minimum of two minutes each time with a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride is a mineral that helps to strengthen teeth. You can also look for a toothpaste with whitening agents in it to help brush away extrinsic stains, like coffee.

As always, if you have a question about whitening your teeth, reach out to our team to schedule a consultation today!