Have you ever done the Kleenex test? Yellow teeth can sneak up on you. White teeth can be hard to maintain but along with routine professional cleanings, there are certain foods you can exclude from your diet to help reduce yellowing over time.
I know what you’re thinking, do not tell me I need to forgo my morning cup of joe. We wouldn’t dare stand between you and coffee, but be aware of how your caffeine habits impact your dental hygiene. Coffee is full of tannins, an organic substance found in plants that is quick to stick to plaque on our teeth, leading to a yellowish discolouration. Tannins can also be found in other teeth-staining foods such as wine and tea. The darker the coffee or tea (dark roast coffee or black tea), the more tannins it contains and therefore, the more likely drinking it will lead to stains.
The best way to avoid yellowing teeth due to coffee consumption, is to avoid consuming coffee altogether. But for most people (like us), cutting coffee is simply not an option. Here are four ways to keep the caffeine and your pearly whites.
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Switch to Light Roast
The darker the liquid, the more likely it is to stain your teeth. When choosing your morning coffee, don’t opt for the darkest or strongest roast. The difference that choosing light roast makes over time is surprising. If you are a tea drinker, switching to green or white tea and leaving the bag in for less time helps reduce the likelihood of yellowing.
MYTH: Adding cream or milk does technically makes the colour of your coffee lighter, but there are still the same amount of teeth-staining tannins. So, unless you are switching to a weaker or less potent coffee, lightening your drink with dairy does nothing to your teeth (except for reducing the amount of coffee you consume by a couple millimeters).
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Use a Straw
Lo from The Hills knew what she was doing! Although this trick doesn’t completely eliminate yellowing, drinking coffee out of a straw reduces the amount of tannins in contact with your teeth and reduces the amount of time the coffee sits around your teeth. By combining this trick with #3, you can significantly reduce discolouration.
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Specific Coffee Breaks
If you’re the type to sip on coffee all day long, this one is for you. Having a designated coffee time helps prevent yellowing if you drink water immediately after you’re finished. Keep a toothbrush and whitening toothpaste in your purse to remove the yellowing pigments from the crevices of your teeth. Not only will this ensure stains don’t have time to set, but it will help you control your inevitable coffee breath.
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Book Your Elegance SunnaSmile Treatment
The absolute best way to avoid coffee smile? SunnaSmile treatments at Elegance. We believe in indulging in your favourite drinks and foods without suffering the consequences of a less than pearly white smile. Both the SunnaSmile at-home and in-studio teeth whitening treatments use the power of blue LED light technology combined with a signature, professional Xyliprox whitening gel at varying strengths, to reveal your whitest smile yet. Treatments are entirely natural, bacteria fighting, sensitivity-free and enamel-safe.
The in-studio treatment is more powerful and immediate; delivering up to 8 times whiter teeth in just 15 minutes. For maximum whitening results in just 5 days, you can follow up your in-studio appointment with the at-home treatment. So go ahead, order your dark roast coffee and book your appointment with Elegance teeth-whitening experts today.
