The Tooth-Related Risks Of Drinking Coffee And Tea

Posted on: 7 February 2019

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Both coffee and tea are beverages that many people love to drink, and people who drink these things often do so every single day. While there are worse things you could consume in terms of tooth health, drinking coffee or tea each day is not the best thing for your teeth. If you want to protect your teeth, you may want to cut back on these beverages or take the right steps to reduce the risks of developing problems from drinking these things.

What makes coffee and tea bad for your teeth?

There are several reasons that drinking coffee and tea is bad for your teeth. The first reason is due to the color and ingredients of these beverages. Coffee and tea are both very dark in color. The dark nature of these drinks will naturally cause staining of your teeth, especially if you drink these types of drinks daily. Part of the reason coffee and tea stain teeth is because they both contain tannins, which are ingredients known for staining teeth.

Secondly, coffee and tea both contain high levels of acid. Any foods or drinks you consume that are high in acid will harm your teeth. Acid is what eats away at teeth, and this process is called enamel erosion. Drinking a lot of highly acidic drinks can rob your teeth of enamel and can leave your teeth more sensitive. This can also increase your risk of developing cavities, simply because you are exposing your teeth to acids each time you take a sip.

Which beverage is worse for your teeth?

According to most sources, tea is actually worse for your teeth than coffee, even though you might think that coffee would be worse. Tea is worse because it contains more acid and tannins than coffee.

How can you reduce the risks of problems these beverages cause?

If you cannot give up tea or coffee, there are ways to reduce the damage these beverages cause. The first way is to limit drinking tea or coffee to a short period of time. Instead of sipping on a cup of coffee for a couple of hours, drink it quickly. Secondly, you should always rinse your mouth out with water after drinking coffee or tea. You can also reduce the risk of damage by diluting your coffee or tea with milk or cream. Diluting it with milk helps reduce the acid and tannins in each sip, and this may also help protect your teeth. 

Drinking coffee and tea in moderation is better than drinking either option every single day, but water is the best beverage you could choose for teeth care. If you would like to learn more about protecting your teeth from the foods and beverages you consume, talk to a dentist.