Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world.
You’ve just gotten your teeth whitened, making you look years younger. You love the beautiful white sparkle.
Now you want to do everything to retain those snow-white chompers. Beverages can stain your pearly whites–coffee and tea are two of the biggest culprits, though not the only ones by far (think dark sodas and red wine). That creates a problem.
Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. If you’re a tea drinker, how do you keep your teeth as white as possible?
There are toothpastes, such as Supersmile, that are specifically designed for cosmetic work. It’s perfect for patients who’ve had work done, such as porcelain veneers, because they preserve the integrity of the porcelain. It’s also a super stain removing toothpaste.
Tea is acidic. If you brush directly after drinking tea, you’re just mashing that acid directly into your enamel. If you swish some water in your mouth it will help neutralize the acid before you brush.
The International Journal of Dental Hygiene recently published a study that showed adding milk to your tea significantly reduces the staining properties it contains.
You can keep your pearly whites white a little longer and drink tea at the same time. Though it wouldn’t hurt to get a touch up periodically. Talk to your dentist about keeping your whitening trays. Then every year or so, you can just get some whitening gel to touch up for very little cost.
