Can Warm Beverages Stain Your Teeth?
If you have recently received a teeth whitening treatment from Baystate Dental, chances are you want to keep your teeth white for as long as possible. For many of our patients, the winter months present a big challenge to keeping their teeth white.
New England winters are famously cold, and drinking warm beverages can be a great way to warm up. Unfortunately, this may have a negative effect on your dental health. Lots of warm winter beverages, from coffee to tea to hot cider, can stain or darken your teeth. And if they have sugar, they may contribute to tooth decay.
You can avoid unnecessary staining from warm winter drinks by:
- Drinking a glass of water between every cup of coffee, tea, or other beverage
- Brushing and flossing your teeth after finishing your drink
- Only drinking tooth-staining beverages with meals–your increased saliva levels will help clean your teeth!
- Using a whitening toothpaste
- Chewing sugar-free gum after your drink
This doesn’t just apply to warm beverages: coffee, tea, cider, and other dark-colored drinks will stain your teeth no matter what temperature you drink them at. Some people claim you can reduce stains by drinking through a straw more often, but there’s not as much evidence for that–it depends on your personal drinking style, and if you habitually chew straws, the net effect on your dental health may be worse.
If you’d like to set up a teeth whitening appointment with the cosmetic dentists at Baystate Dental contact our offices today. Call us today at or book an appointment online.
