Why coffee stains the teeth and what you can do about it
Like many people, you might depend on a cup of coffee to get your day going, but do you know it affects your teeth?
How drinking coffee affects your teeth [getty]
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Whenever coffee spills on anything, it stains it. This general principle also applies to your teeth.
A type of polyphenol called tannins, which are present in coffee. Coffee's tannins enter your teeth' pores when you drink it. Tannins make colourants stay on your teeth and have a yellowish look. One cup of coffee each day is all it takes to discolour teeth.
Coffee's acidity can eventually erode the enamel, causing further stains. Red wine and black tea also have teeth-staining tannins.
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How to prevent discolouration from coffee
- Drinking coffee through a straw can help you avoid this.
- Don’t drink your coffee black, add some milk. Milk's casein clings to tannins to stop the tea from staining.
- Quickly finishing the cup of coffee gives it less time to discolour. Two hours of drinking coffee results in two hours of tanning and staining your teeth.
- Try swishing water around your teeth if there isn't a toothbrush available.
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