How to clean coffee stains from your teeth at home
Many are the times when we decide to jump start our day with a cup of coffee. The beverage goes a long way in setting that hyper-focused and productive mood we need to hustle all day. However, like any other good thing in life, coffee has its disadvantages too. One of these is leaving stains on your teeth, making them lose their natural whiteness and making you less-than-confident at work. It can even get hard to eliminate deep coffee stains without undergoing professional stain removal at a dentist’s office.
The part of the tooth that gets stained is the enamel. Contrary to its appearance, it is not completely smooth. It has ridges and pits that trap particles such as the tannin particles in coffee. Frequent embedding of tannin particles within enamel is the root cause of tooth discoloration according to this article by Ghost White. Over time, tannin from the natural oils in the coffee bean will leave deeper and deeper stains on your teeth, turning them yellow or brown.
Teeth stain removal is possible though. You can even do it in the comfort of your home, guaranteeing your confidence throughout the day, even after having your favorite ‘wake-me-the-hell-up’ beverage. Here are some of the most straightforward options for coffee stain removal:
Regular brushing and flossing
This is the most accessible while at the same time, the most fundamental method that you can use from home. Before the stains become visible, they have first to accumulate some particles over a period of time. Brushing regularly will prevent the particles from building up on the tooth enamel.
While doing this, it is best to take a few precautions to protect your teeth. Don’t immediately brush right after drinking your coffee. Wash it down with 8 ounces of water and make sure you’re not brushing immediately after drinking an acidic beverage. This just pushes acid further into your enamel, causing even more damage. You should also be sure to use the right toothbrush, to avoid damaging your tooth enamel. One with soft bristles is the recommendation, since it does not cause further damage to your teeth.
This of brushing and flossing as your front-line defense against coffee stains. For the serious coffee-junkie though, it may be time to take whitening to the next step with an at-home kit.
Use of teeth whitening kits
There are several teeth whitening kits that can be used to eliminate stains at home. For instance, you can get yourself a teeth whitening system that will whiten your teeth within a brief period, leaving you with long-lasting results. Modern at-home teeth whitening systems are usually made of a mouthpiece with an LED activated brightener, as well as a teeth shade guide that tracks your progress over time. The LED addition does not have any negative effect to the teeth, it just helps the natural solution of hydrogen peroxide gel to work more effectively. These kits typically give you the full effect within 30 days or less and provide an affordable alternative to laser whitening at the dentist office.
Use of a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda
This is an easy at-home teeth whitening system that’s even more affordable. The ratio of hydrogen peroxide to baking soda is 2:1. The paste is applied to the teeth for twenty or so minutes before brushing (if you can stand it that long!). Shorter duration applications of 5–10 minutes are still effective, but may take longer to see the results you want. The hydrogen peroxide triggers the enamel to release the trapped particles on the enamel, while the baking soda catalyzes the process. When adopted, this method should deliver good results within the first two weeks.
While it is easy to remove coffee stains, it is even easier to prevent yourself from having the stains. There are a few different ways that you can do this.
-Using a straw to minimize the contact of (cold) coffee and the teeth
-Drink the coffee quickly
-Add milk to the coffee.
-Take sips of water in between
And of course be sure to chase your coffee with 8 ounces of water so that the acid and tannins do not sit on your enamel, doing further damage. So there you have it! Reclaim that bright smile and still keep your morning-time sanity from now on with these tips on coffee stain removal and prevention.