How to drink coffee to avoid yellow stains and plaque on your teeth
When to drink coffee to avoid damaging your teeth (Illustrative photo: Freepik)
Coffee offers numerous health benefits but can also harm your teeth. A dentist explained what steps to take after drinking the beverage to prevent negative effects, according to the Health website.
How coffee harms teeth
Coffee is acidic, which means it can erode enamel or the outer layer of your teeth.
Dentist Augusto Robles explained that the ability of coffee to damage or stain your teeth boils down to two factors: duration and frequency of exposure.
The duration of exposure depends on how long it takes to drink your coffee. Sipping it slowly, with pauses between sips, repeatedly exposes your teeth to the acids and tannins in the beverage.
"Long exposure never lets your saliva fully neutralize the acidity in your mouth," Robles said.
Saliva is one of the primary mechanisms in the mouth to prevent cavities. However, if you drink coffee frequently and slowly, saliva cannot fully wash it away. Additionally, if the drink contains sugar and cream, it can further increase the risk of enamel damage and the development of cavities.
Coffee stains teeth
Teeth are made up of several layers. According to Robles, the outer layers have tiny bumps and pores where residues can accumulate. Anything containing tannins, such as red wine, soy sauce, coffee, or tea, can settle in these bumps and stain the surface of the teeth. Fortunately, they don't penetrate very deeply.
Therefore, if you brush your teeth after drinking coffee, you can remove most of the staining material.
Brushing before drinking coffee removes the protective layer of saliva. When saliva is present, it helps neutralize the acidity that reaches the surface of the teeth.
If you brush your teeth before drinking coffee, it’s recommended to wait 15 minutes before having your first sip to allow the salivary barrier to recover.
Brushing after enjoying coffee is ideal for preventing dark stains. However, it’s important to wait 20 minutes.
"The surface of the teeth have been softened by the acid. If you go brush, you brush away a softened surface, and it's easier for you to take away tooth structure than it was before you drank your coffee," added the dentist.
How to drink coffee to avoid harm
Drink quickly
You don’t need to finish your entire cup of coffee in just a few minutes but try to drink it within 30 minutes rather than sipping it over several hours.
Switch to tea
Switching to green tea can also be a positive step for your overall oral health. According to a large 2018 study, older adults in Japan who frequently drank green tea were more likely to have better oral health compared to those who drank coffee.
Use a straw
A straw is a great way to reduce coffee's contact with your teeth. Just make sure it’s positioned to bypass your front teeth.
Avoid sugar
Adding sugar to your coffee can increase the risk of cavities. If you drink coffee with sugar daily, it may be worth reconsidering this habit.
Additionally, you can replace sugar with artificial sweeteners.
Rinse your mouth with water
After finishing your coffee, rinse your mouth with water. This not only washes away some of the tannins that cause stains but also helps neutralize the acid in your mouth. This way, you can brush your teeth without risking enamel damage.
We also wrote about 7 products that will enhance the flavor of your coffee in a whole new way.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
