By Dr. Ryan Chaliff, DDS, MD (Columbia University), Co-Founder of BRITEN
You don't have to choose
The most common question I get after "does whitening work?" is "do I have to give up coffee?" No. You don't. I drink two cups every morning. I also have white teeth. Here's how those two things coexist.
How coffee and wine actually stain teeth
Both coffee and red wine contain chromogens (intensely pigmented molecules) and tannins (compounds that help pigments stick to surfaces). Coffee also has acid, which temporarily softens enamel and makes it more porous. Red wine has all three: chromogens, tannins, and acid. This is why red wine stains faster and deeper than coffee.
The staining is cumulative. One cup of coffee won't noticeably stain your teeth. Two cups daily for 5 years will.
The whitening protocol for regular coffee and wine drinkers
Step 1: Initial whitening (10 days). Use your LED kit daily for 10 days to remove existing staining. During this period, you can still drink coffee and wine, but try to keep it to 1 cup or glass daily and rinse with water afterward.
Step 2: Maintenance (ongoing). After your initial treatment, switch to 1-2 whitening sessions per week. This prevents new stains from building up. For heavy coffee drinkers (3+ cups daily), you may want 2 sessions per week.
Step 3: Daily defense. This is where a simple water rinse makes the biggest difference. After your morning coffee, rinse with water for 15 seconds. This removes surface chromogens before they bond to your enamel.
6 daily habits that keep teeth white
- 1. The water chase: After coffee or wine, swish water in your mouth for 10 seconds. This dilutes acid and rinses away chromogens. Simple, free, effective.
- 2. Straw for cold drinks: Iced coffee through a straw bypasses your front teeth entirely. Not practical for wine. Very practical for iced lattes.
- 3. Don't sip for hours: One coffee consumed in 20 minutes causes less staining than the same coffee sipped over 3 hours. Longer contact time means more staining.
- 4. Wait 30 minutes before brushing: Coffee is acidic. Brushing immediately after can spread the acid and abrade softened enamel. Wait 30 minutes for your saliva to remineralize, then brush.
- 5. Add milk: Milk proteins (caseins) bind to tannins and reduce their staining ability. Coffee with milk stains less than black coffee. Lattes less than espresso.
- 6. Rinse after meals: Swish water for 15 seconds after coffee, wine, or any staining food when brushing isn't an option.
My personal routine
I drink 2 cups of black coffee daily. I have a glass of wine 2-3 times per week. Here's my personal whitening maintenance: one BRITEN LED session on Sunday nights (10 minutes while watching TV). A water chase after every coffee and every glass of wine. That's it. My teeth have been consistently 2-3 shades lighter than their natural color for over two years.
Related: Refill Pens
