Is Coffee Turning Your Teeth Yellow? Learn What Could Be Occurring and How to Stop It
It goes without saying that Americans adore coffee. In actuality, each person consumes ten pounds of coffee beans on average. Given that there are over 320 million people in the country, that equates to more than 1.5 tons of coffee. It’s easy to understand why coffee is so popular: there are coffee shops on almost every corner, restaurants have endless coffee, and offices almost always have coffee.
With all the coffee we drink, it can’t be terrible for us, right? Some claim it increases their alertness and productivity. Others claim that it keeps them on task. We won’t discuss how it might be beneficial at your California Dental Group, but we do want to look at any potential harm it might be doing to your teeth.
Your teeth will become yellowed by coffee
Let’s get this out of the way first: drinking coffee will ultimately stain them. There is some debate as to how much coffee you need to consume or how long it takes for your teeth to become noticeably discolored, but one thing is certain: Anyone who regularly consumes coffee will eventually notice that their teeth start to become yellow.
Yellow teeth isn’t the only impact your coffee could be having on your mouth
The main reason most people drink coffee is for the caffeine. While it could keep you awake and focused, it’s not good for your oral health. In order to maintain healthy gums and teeth, caffeine can dry out the mouth. Even more specifically, coffee breath is a form of foul breath that only occurs in coffee drinkers. Lastly, coffee contains acid. Your teeth’s enamel may deteriorate over time as a result.
All of the aforementioned is true for individuals who drink their coffee black, but what about those who also add sugar? The fact that sugar is bad for your teeth, whether you eat it in candy bars or drink it in your daily cup of coffee, probably comes as no surprise to you. If you’ve added sugar to your coffee, we advise brushing your teeth immediately after drinking it.
Maybe it’s not all horrible
If the aforementioned has made you nervous, you’ll welcome some of the facts emerging from the most recent studies. They have demonstrated that the polyphenols in coffee, which are responsible for the yellowing of your teeth, may also prevent bacteria from adhering to your teeth. If true, this would be a huge benefit for your teeth. Men have also lately created a clear coffee, which might definitely assist you maintain straight teeth when you drink coffee.
Do you need to stop drinking coffee?
Of course, this is a matter of preference. If you plan to continue drinking coffee, California Dental Group advises that you try to quit adding sugar to it. We also advise you to maintain your oral hygiene routine and contact us to learn more about teeth whitening solutions if you notice your teeth are yellowing.
