Here at Iowa Park Dental we love coffee. It keep us going during the day and wakes us up in the morning. As a result, we have the same problems as everyone else when it comes to the staining effects of coffee on our teeth. We are lucky however to have all the information we need to combat this, so the staff of Iowa Park dental said we would share the knowledge and keep everyone smiling brightly! Iowa Park Dentist for everyone in Petrolia, Vernon, Electra, Burkburnett, Henrietta in Texas is always there to help you with your dental problems.
How Can Coffee Stain Teeth?
The front of your teeth may look smooth, but in truth the enamel on your teeth is made up of a matrix of crystal like rods that under close inspection can have small pits. Stains from foods such as coffee or red wine can get locked into these small catches. If there is any retained plaque on the teeth, this rough surface is also perfect for coffee staining. This type of staining is called extrinsic staining as it is stuck to the outside of the teeth.
Over time, this outside staining can permeate the teeth and dull the colour of the teeth. This is now called intrinsic (inside) staining and is much more difficult to remove.
How Can We Avoid a “Coffee Smile”?
Giving up coffee, tea, or other tooth-staining beverages is the best way to prevent the staining caused by those drinks, but for most people (including us at Iowa Park Dental), this is not an acceptable solution.
Instead of going cold turkey, we can advise that you might consider addressing the frequency of the coffee intake. Sipping slowly on a cup of coffee over a few hours as opposed to having it at a certain a time and allowing for time in between can dramatically reduce the amount of coffee staining on teeth.
If there are some obvious stains building up the using a whitening toothpaste and brushing regularly is a good way to reduce these and keep the teeth looking whiter. Another important factor in keeping the coffee smile away to work with a professional hygienist. Avoiding the build up of stained plaque on the teeth will help with your oral health and remove nearly all the Extrinsic staining.
Tips for Stain-Free Teeth.
1) Use a Straw. If you are drinking a staining drink, then through using a straw you will reduce the amount of the drink that washes over your teeth and stains them. ( We appreciate that you may look strange with your red wine )
2) Clean your Teeth. As we talked about earlier, plaque which is rough build up of calcified bacteria on the outside of you teeth is an ideal surface for stains to adhere to your teeth. Brush, Rinse + Floss to reduce this.
3) Don’t smoke. Need we say more
4) Cold Coffee. Believe it or not, cold-brewed coffee is actually less dangerous for your teeth than the traditional hot brew. The reason is that when you use the cold brew method, the drink has fewer polyphenols and acids.
5) Get it done. Many of us like to linger over our coffee, taking little sips here and there over the course of several hours. That lingering is not doing your teeth any favors. It’s much better to drink it more quickly and then rinse with water right afterwards so that you don’t give those staining tannins a chance to hang around.
6) Pass to our dental clinic. Our Iowa Park Dental staff will always be happy to check your teeth and give you more personalised advices.
Will Whitening Work?
Should the teeth not be as bright as they used to be after all the outside staining has been removed then you may consider teeth whitening. This is great for teeth with intrinsic staining (yellowing of teeth over time).
At Iowa Park Dental we will always be happy to help you to get a great smile. Also for clients from Petrolia, Vernon, Electra, Burkburnett, Henrietta in Texas
