Many people start the day with a lovely cup of coffee. However, have you ever thought about the impact your morning cup has on your teeth?

Most adults drink two or three cups of joe daily. Coffee has a high concentration of caffeine that helps you stay awake and alert. Additionally, caffeine also helps stimulate your brain receptors, reducing anxiety.

Coffee may be delicious, but that does not mean you should drink as much as you want. Drinking excessive amounts of coffee can harm your oral health. Let us look at some interesting facts about coffee and its effect on your teeth and gums.

Does Drinking Coffee Affect Your Teeth and Gums?

Erodes Your Teeth

You would be surprised to know that coffee can cause your tooth enamel to erode. Most coffee varieties are acidic. Coffee has acidic compounds like linoleic, chlorogenic, lactic, citric, acetic, palmitic, and malic, which lowers its pH levels.

The acid compounds in coffee slowly dissolve your teeth’s enamel over time. As your enamel gets eaten away, your teeth become softer and weaker, leading to decay.

Furthermore, enamel erosion also creates spaces between your teeth where food and bacteria can get stuck. This can lead to plaque build-up, which increases your risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease.

It is also worth noting that bacteria love acidic areas, making your mouth the perfect breeding place. Book a consultation with All About Smile Dental Group if you notice cavities or tooth decay. Our orthodontists will ensure that your teeth and gums are always protected.

Stains Your Teeth

Coffee will not only leave stains on your clothes and furniture but also on your teeth. If you love having your daily cup of coffee, you might notice a slight discoloration in your teeth.

So why does coffee stain your teeth?

Some of the common compounds found in coffee are tannins. The compounds are natural proteins that are created in a variety of plants. Tannin compounds can actively bind with other proteins, including those in your saliva. This makes it easy for the dark brown color in your coffee to stick to your teeth.

Brushing can get some of the stains out from your teeth, but it can leave your teeth a bit discolored. Over time, your teeth might get a yellow or dull hue.

A common myth that floats around is that adding milk or cream to your coffee prevents teeth staining. In reality, lightening your coffee decreases the dark brown pigments, but it does not prevent staining.

The best solution to resolve your yellow hue teeth is getting your dentist to have a look at them.

Dry Mouth

Drinking coffee regularly can lead to dehydration, thus triggering dry mouth.

Saliva plays a crucial role in cleaning your mouth. It removes food particles, plaque, and bacteria stuck in your mouth. Saliva also has minerals that help rebuild your teeth. In addition, saliva neutralizes acidity in your mouth.

Apart from stains, tannins are also responsible for your dry mouth. Tannin compounds bind to proteins in your saliva, preventing its production.

Less saliva production leads to your gums drying out and becoming more sensitive. Furthermore, insufficient saliva also encourages bacteria build-up, which can cause oral issues.

Bad Breath

Many joe lovers know how bad coffee breath can get.

Bad breath or halitosis is another downside of having your morning coffee. When coffee beans are roasted or brewed, they release sulfur-containing compounds responsible for their aroma. In addition, tannins also cause bad breath.

As your saliva production reduces, you cannot effectively clean the sulfur compounds left in your mouth, leading to coffee breath.

Likewise, less saliva production also increases the bacteria population in your mouth. As the bacteria eat food particles between your teeth, they release sulfur gas, causing bad breath.

Stress-Related Dental Disorders

Lastly, drinking a lot of coffee can also increase your risk of stress-related dental issues. Excessive caffeine stimulates your nervous system leading to anxiety and stress.

This anxiety and stress can lead to teeth grinding and locking jaws for some people. Teeth grinding can wear out your enamel affecting your smile. Additionally, locking jaws are extremely painful and lead to headaches.

How Do I Keep Coffee from Ruining My Teeth?

Ready to get your smile back? Here are some ways to reduce coffee’s effect on your teeth and gums.

Reduce your coffee intake

You can reduce your intake if you cannot go without your daily cup of coffee. The less coffee you take, the less harm it will do to your dental health.

Use a straw

Secondly, using a straw when drinking coffee prevents direct contact with your teeth, reducing enamel erosion.

Brush your teeth

Cleaning your teeth twice daily is an excellent way to remove plaque and prevent permanent staining.

Rinse your mouth after drinking your cup

If you cannot brush your teeth, rinsing your mouth with water will help wash out acidic compounds. In addition, it also reduces the amount of staining on your teeth and keeps your mouth smelling fresh.

Keep flossing

Flossing is an excellent way to remove any food particles stuck between your teeth. Make sure to floss at least once daily to prevent staining between your teeth.

How To Remove Coffee Stains on Teeth

So, how do coffee drinkers keep their teeth white? If brushing or rinsing does not help remove those stubborn stains, here are some other options to try out.

Visit your dentist

Your dentist is the best solution to oral issues. The dentist will recommend the proper oral habits or treatment to ensure your teeth retain their color and you get your smile back.

Use whitening mouthwash

Another solution to getting your teeth white again is using whitening mouthwash. However, always talk to your orthodontist before investing in one.

Teeth whitening products

Likewise, you can also buy over-the-counter teeth whitening products to help minimize your teeth’ yellow hue. Again, always consult your dentist before using them.

Though you might enjoy your morning coffee, excessive consumption might permanently damage your teeth. Regular coffee drinkers risk bad breath, tooth cavities, and other dental issues.

If you have any oral health issues, All About Smile Dental Group is here to help you with your problem.