New Year! Time to Regain your nice Bright Smile
As we age and enjoy our morning routines of coffee and tea, savor the dinners with friends and a glass of elegant French Burgundy… our beautiful youthful white smile begins to fade. While we love our delicious beverages, how can we enjoy coffee, tea and red wine without staining our teeth?
Let’s explore which beverage impacts our smile the most and how to lessen its impact.
The short answer is Red Wine overall, followed by coffee, then tea.
Here’s the deal:
Red Wine
· Highly acidic which weakens enamel
· Dark pigment or chromogens which cause staining
· Tannins which causes the red pigment to adhere to your teeth
· Alcohol causing dryness in the mouth reducing salvia your natural tooth protector.
All of the above combined lead to enamel erosion, deep staining and dry mouth.
Coffee
· Moderately acidic
· Strong staining pigment
· Generally consumed daily increasing cumulative damage
· Add ins like sugar and syrups increase cavity risk
Coffee is sometimes less acidic then wine, but frequent exposure and multiple cups daily make it a big offender.
Tea
· Lower acidity
· High Tannins in black tea stain easily
· Green tea and herbal teas stain less and may have protective antioxidants
Tea stains more than coffee, but causes less enamel erosion and may have benefits due the antioxidants in green and herbal teas.
2026 is not the year to give up your favorite drinks, but it is the year to reduce the damage!
· Rinse with water right after drinking
· Wait 30-60 minutes before brushing to protect softened enamel
· Use a straw for ice tea and coffee
· Pair drinks with meals which increases salvia flow
· Use a whitening toothpaste or enamel-strengthening toothpaste.
White teeth and a bright smile make you feel more confident. Remember always the 2-2-2 rule as well brush 2x a day, floss 2x a day and visit your family dentist twice a year. Your dentist may also offer whitening procedures to fit your lifestyle and budget. Plainsboro Dental Care is your full-service dental practice for all your oral care needs, call 609-799-4422 to schedule an appointment today.