There are nearly as many if not more tea connoisseurs than coffee aficionados considering the varied high-quality options, including green teas. While either of these choices will leave evidence of their consumption behind on the surface of your teeth with stains, specific teas like the green varieties boast the potential for helping with oral health. View more details about the staining that the products cause here.
Evidence indicates these products are finding use in preventative measures and treatment care plans for oral diseases. And patients are having little difficulty developing the habit of drinking the substance as part of their hygiene regimen.
Green Tea And Oral Health
Tea, especially the green varieties, promotes wellness, particularly in the mind, body, and spirit. These are extensive but what many people might not be aware of is these benefits extend to oral health.
Unfortunately, individuals feel the need to weigh the benefits against a few of the downsides, including the fact that teas, particularly the green options, stain teeth and do so at a higher degree than even coffee.
Many are unaware until reading the FAQ information at their dental clinic under “will green tea really stain my teeth,” coming as a surprise to those consuming it for the healthy benefits. It can also cause stomach upset if consumed in excessive quantities. But do the cons outweigh the pros? Let’s check out what the potential is for these properties.
** Prevention Of Cavities And Decay
The substances consist of compounds with the capacity to fight inflammation and defend against bacterial infection, plus the product is enriched with antioxidants. While many people choose this option for the overall health of the mind, body, and soul, most don’t realize that oral health can affect mental and physical wellness. For those with poor hygiene, there is generally associated illness of the body or mind.
If you choose to drink these teas, you need to also participate in brushing and flossing as recommended by your dental provider and visit the clinic for regular exams. Merely consuming the beverage is not enough to correct mouth issues.
The attributes combined with good hygiene become essential tools for preventing cavities with their capacity to lower the acid level in saliva, help decrease dental plaque, and control the potential for infection from bacteria.
You don’t want to consume excessive amounts in a day. Speak with your provider about quantity since too much of a good thing can give you potential stomach issues.
** Help With Gum Disease
Along with regular flossing and dental cleaning from the dentist, the tea notes to be ideal for decreasing inflammation. That’s a common symptom seen in periodontal or gum disease.
If you can’t handle drinking the substance, some products contain extracts, including candies (the dentist would frown on these), but other means would meet approval, like kinds of toothpaste and mouth rinses. Consult with the dentist for recommendations on the best way to get your allowance of the substance.
** Reduction In Tooth Loss
For those who have challenges with maintaining good oral health, likely you’re facing issues with cavities and decay. If you’re seeing the dentist, the professional will do everything to save the tooth, but in some cases, the damage is just too extensive, and an extraction is necessary. No type of tea is going to salvage a tooth for you.
That doesn’t mean you can’t save the rest of your teeth if you initiate an adequate wellness routine. That would include proper hygiene and increased visits with the dental clinic to stabilize all the current issues and get you on a disciplined plan. It might even consist of a cup or two per day of tea to compliment the program.
** Cancer Growth
Tobacco products used in excess make individuals vulnerable to the development of cancerous tumors in the oral cavity. Antioxidants offer potent properties for general and oral health. The suggestion is that these and other powerful compounds within green tea offer the capacity to protect against these growths and defend against cellular damage.
Clinical research finds that the extract in varied precancerous situations slowed the progression of mouth cancer. In animal studies, inhibition of cancer growth occurred. It’s important to point out; similar results can only reproduce with instant cessation of tobacco.
If you take the extracts but continue to indulge in nicotine, you’re defeating yourself and the extract. The benefit is only helpful if the user is diligent in their responsibility.
** Improved Breath
Some people suffer from bad-smelling breath for numerous reasons. The microbes responsible for creating the nastiness don’t like these teas because the extracts kill the microbes. It might depend on the severity of your issue. In extreme cases, there could be an underlying health issue contributing to the symptom.
You should always be open with your communication to the dentist so that there can be an appropriate referral if needed to determine the root cause. But for standard cases, the suggestion is that the products have the capacity for relieving the odor more impressively than chewing gum, breath mints, and even the tried-and-true method of “parsley-seed oil.” With this kind of capability, does this wonder tea have the capacity to whiten teeth? Let’s see.
Does Green Tea produce Stains On Teeth?
Green teas won’t appear as a yellow stain on your teeth. Good news? Not quite. The substance has more staining power than your cup of coffee, but the hue you get has more dull gray undertones. Find out why this is worse than coffee at https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/tea-is-even-worse-for-your-teeth-than-coffee/.
These have the potential for being permanent if neglected. Also worth noting is that black teas cause the least amount of discoloring effects in comparison. But the tone is different because greens have lower pH causing less exposure to acidity and demineralization, so it’s more subtle.
There will be a minimal chance for a noticeable change for those who drink less of the substance regularly. But for those who indulge in an attempt to receive overall health and wellness benefits, including those for oral health, a bit more than an average intake might produce prominent staining.
There are other ways to take advantage of green tea’s health properties, such as the extracts, which you’ll find in many different products, including oral hygiene products like toothpaste or mouth rinses. In this way, you receive the pros without the downsides.
Why Is Discoloration Such A Problem With Tea?
Acidity and tannins are the primary components responsible for organically discoloring the surfaces of your teeth. You can find a third element in the green versions – “chromogens.”
The acid contributes to wearing down the enamel, which creates a surface more susceptible to collecting pigment deposits as they adhere to the teeth. Staining takes place over a significant period and requires considerable consumption for there to be a visible discoloration.
If you drink what you consider to be an above-average amount of the substance in a day and have a concern over the potential for stains, there are preventative measures you can employ. In this way, you can enjoy your favorite beverage plus avoid evidence that you’re indulging. Some of these steps include:
- Rinse: With any acidic component, it’s essential to rinse your mouth after having a cup to wash away as much of the residue that accumulates on and around the teeth.
You want to avoid brushing for some time (up to an hour) since the acid will leave the surfaces in a particularly vulnerable state, and the abrasive bristles can cause a certain level of sensitivity if you do so too soon. An immediate rinse is sufficient until it’s time for the next brushing.
- Brush: When you do brush, the recommendation is to use a teeth-whitening paste. If these teas are a staple in your life and you have them multiple times a day to the point staining is a given, professional teeth whitening could be a credible option for you.
Likely you won’t stop the habit meaning you’ll need to engage in routine whitening techniques and abide by stringent measures to clean your teeth following each transgression.
You can have a whitening procedure with the dentist, purchase professional whitening kits, look for options with local drug stores or pharmacies, but always ensure you use a toothpaste dedicated to whitening. It offers an added convenience and straightforward technique to compliment the other options.
Teas usually stand in the shadow of coffee with less of a focus on things like whether it will stain your teeth. Everyone knows that coffee is a massive culprit for ruining smiles. But not many people were aware that specific teas, including green tea, are worse.
That particular variety has the designation as “worse for stains on teeth than coffee,” mainly because the tone is subtle while coffee discoloration is pronounced. With a slight shade instead of something vibrant, it’s challenging to notice a problem developing until the issue reaches a nearly irreversible status.
That’s part of the reason greens are gradually getting a reputation as among the worst food/beverages for teeth stains over coffees, other teas, and even wines. The discoloration is challenging to remove once it gets deeply ingrained into the enamel, and it gets to that point because it’s tough to see until then.
Final Thought
Green tea is a component many people include in their wellness regimen for its properties in improving the health of your mind, body, and spirit. Unfortunately, when you don’t take care of your oral hygiene as a priority in self-care, it can negatively affect general physical and mental well-being since mouth health directly connects to overall body wellness.
Hygiene is the number one preventative in caring for your mouth. Teas are exceptionally beneficial in decreasing cavities, decay, even in cases of periodontal disease. But if you don’t participate in adequate brushing and flossing plus seeing your provider for routine exams, nothing else can touch the surface.
