While coffee offers many health benefits, one of its downsides is that its natural dark pigmentation stains teeth over time. Teeth whitening is effective, but only after stains are visible. If you’re a coffee lover and don’t want to give up your favorite beverage in exchange for brighter teeth, try these strategies.

How to Drink Coffee Without Staining Your Teeth

1. Use a Straw

While it might look a bit uppity and strange to others, using a straw to drink coffee can help prevent your teeth’s enamel, the protective outer layer, from directly contacting the coffee. Use a narrow straw for even less contact.

2. Add Milk

If you can’t imagine using a straw to drink coffee, try adding milk to your cup instead. This method is widely used by tea drinkers to prevent teeth staining. The process is similar in both beverages: the natural protein in milk attaches to the staining particles in the tea or coffee, preventing them from clinging onto your enamel.

3. Use Whitening Products

If you have healthy teeth and gums and regularly brush after a meal, brush with a whitening toothpaste after each cup of coffee. Whitening toothpaste contains baking soda, which can help remove surface stains. For a more serious counterattack, use the toothpaste in combination with whitening mouthwash and teeth whitening strips to further reduce discoloration.

4. Get Professional Teeth Whitening

Years of coffee consumption can create deep staining that’s hard to erase even with the variety of over-the-counter whitening products available today. Professional teeth whitening can help erase accumulated staining from coffee as well as from other common causes. At the hands of a dentist, you’ll experience less gum irritation, faster whitening, and overall better results than at-home options.

Whether you need a regular dental visit or an extensive treatment plan, Pure Dental Care in Central Park South, NY, is proud to serve you with the highest quality dental care in their modern, state-of-the-art facility. From teeth cleanings and fillings to teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry, their well-qualified dentist and staff will make sure you feel right at home in their dentist chair. Their mission is to care for their patients from the very first visit. Call (212) 256-1292 today to schedule an appointment or visit their website for additional information on their services.