We all love that morning cup of tea or coffee that helps us wake up. With that warm mug in our hands, it's hard to believe anything is wrong with such an inviting beverage. But that doesn't mean your drink is right for your teeth. Coffee and tea are two of the leading causes of discolored and stained teeth.

Why Does Coffee Stain Your Teeth?

Enamel is the outer coating of your teeth that endures biting, chewing and grinding. It's the hardest tissue in the human body. For that reason, you might think enamel is indestructible — but it has its flaws. Enamel may be strong, but it's also made up of crystallized bonds. These bonds are not structured tightly together, which means your enamel has small spaces between each bond.

Coffee and tea both contain tannins. These are bitter-tasting, acidic compounds that become trapped between the bonds of your enamel. Accompanied by the beverage's dark color, these compounds cause discoloration and can weaken your enamel over time. Tannins are the reason red wine can stain your smile, too.

How to Drink Coffee and Tea Without Staining Your Teeth

You should continue to enjoy those morning, afternoon and evening coffee and tea breaks. But we want you to be proud of your smile, too. To protect your enamel from discoloration and weakening, we have created a list of tips that will keep your teeth bright, white and healthy. 

1. Use a Straw

You can reduce your teeth's exposure to the tannins in coffee or tea by using a straw. Rather than cozy up in the spaces within your enamel, the compounds go straight down your throat, out of harm's way.

2. Drink Water

Because enamel has spaces, it's considered porous. While consuming your hot beverage, drinking water can wash some tannins out of your enamel by filtering through the pores and kicking the tannins out. 

3. Brush Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth immediately after drinking tea or coffee is a fantastic way to remove any tannins trapped in the enamel. Brush for two minutes with your preferred toothpaste. You can even sprinkle baking soda on your toothbrush to get a deeper clean.

4. Floss

Flossing is another great way to remove residual particles from between your teeth, where beverage compounds can sit, stain and weaken the enamel covering the sides of your teeth.

5. Use a Whitening Product

If you have a good oral hygiene routine but think your teeth could use more help, you might want to try using teeth-whitening products. One option is EverSmile WhitenFresh, an on-the-go spray that freshens breath, fights stains and gradually whitens your teeth. It breaks up the color molecules in coffee and tea so they do not stain. 

EverSmile Helps You Keep Your Teeth Bright and White

We love our tea and coffee, but they aren't the best beverages when it comes to our teeth. That doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy them, though. Follow our tips for reducing stains and browse our teeth-whitening products today to help reveal that bright smile you love.