Could Drinking Tea Help Your Teeth?
Posted on: 22 July 2019
Coffee may be the pick-me-up of choice for most Americans, but that doesn't mean that it's necessarily the best one, at least when your teeth are involved. If you're interested in doing whatever you can to boost your oral health, start by seeing a dentist and ensuring that you're getting regular check-ups and cleanings. Then, try swapping tea for your coffee for these three reasons.
Lower pH Than Coffee
pH levels measure acidity, and as you probably know, acid isn't a good thing for teeth. It's a shame, then, that coffee has a higher pH acidity than tea does. On average, most types of tea boast a lower acidity level than coffee, with the exception of lemon tea. However, even black tea is better for your teeth than coffee in this regard, and choosing a white or green tea lowers the acidity even further.
Less Staining
While stained teeth are typically a cosmetic issue, the lower pH level of tea over coffee can help here, too. Acidity in drinks wears down tooth enamel, which can result in a stained appearance. This is actually just the enamel thinning and revealing the other layers of your teeth, which tend to not be white. This type of staining is particularly problematic because it's not only difficult to correct with whitening kits at home but also leaves your teeth vulnerable to cavities and bacteria. Switching to tea limits the amount of acidity in your diet, which will help to keep your enamel from breaking down and will keep your teeth from looking brown or yellow. It might even save you from getting some unpleasant news about your teeth during your next dentist visit.
Antibacterial
Tea offers some bonuses that coffee just can't compete with. It's actually been found to have antibacterial properties. This means that the bacteria in your mouth that's responsible for the growth of plaque and tartar, as well as causing cavities, can have its growth slowed if you're sipping tea all day. Changing the beverages that you drink is a passive and easy way to help boost your oral health without having to make significant changes to your way of life.
Coffee has its downsides for your teeth that tea simply doesn't. If you're worried about your oral health and have been told to cut back on coffee, consider switching to tea and getting your caffeine fix in a safer, healthier way.
Share