Did you know that coffee is the world’s second most traded commodity after oil? Although it’s an incredibly popular (and arguably delicious) way to wake up in the morning, it’s also notorious for causing dental stains.
If you’ve recently enhanced your smile with porcelain veneers, you might wonder whether it’s safe to continue enjoying your daily dose of coffee. After all, your restorations are less porous than enamel, so they don’t typically stain at the same pace. Continue reading to learn more about how coffee affects your cosmetics and how to maintain a bright, beautiful grin!
Why Does Coffee Cause Stains?
Whether you prefer it black or with cream and sugar, this caffeinated drink is notorious for causing dental discoloration. If you’ve been consuming it regularly over a period of time, you might notice that your teeth eventually appear more yellow or brown than pearly white.
This is because coffee contains tannins, which are naturally occurring compounds found in many plants that give them a bitter flavor. Although they have some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, they also bind with your saliva to cling to your enamel, where they soak into the microscopic pores to cause stains.
Does Coffee Also Stain Veneers?
Veneers are typically made from resilient ceramic that can be customized to match the hue, size, and shape of your enamel, but is much less porous. As a result, they tend to resist certain types of damage, such as chips, cracks, and discoloration, better than your natural teeth.
However, that doesn’t mean they’re invincible or that they’ll never develop blemishes. Prolonged or repeated exposure to deeply pigmented foods or drinks, such as coffee, can lead to an unevenly toned smile because your enamel will darken more rapidly than your veneers. Not only that, but your restorations can eventually start to look dirtier, too, and don’t respond to topical services, like teeth whitening.
How Can I Avoid Discoloration with Veneers?
Your dentist carefully customizes your restorations to match, or even brighten, your smile for beautiful, confidence-boosting results. It’s only natural to want to maintain their current shade for as long as possible.
Generally, you can help preserve your veneers by minimizing your consumption of deeply toned foods and drinks, such as coffee, tea, wine, tomatoes, or berries. You should also implement a twice-daily at-home hygiene routine to regularly remove plaque and bacteria that give tinted particles something to cling to.
Finally, visiting your dentist every six months for a routine checkup and cleaning allows them to monitor your condition and polish away more recent surface stains to maintain your recent enhancements!
Meet the Author
Dr. Prachi Shah has nearly 20 years of experience helping people improve their lives by enhancing their dental health. She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the New York University College of Dentistry and today, she provides a comprehensive menu of services to meet all your needs under one roof, including placing veneers. She takes the time to learn about your individual concerns and goals, then tailors treatment plans to meet them. Then, she uses state-of-the-art equipment to deliver reliable results intended to last. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (817) 860-2222.