Can We Prevent Coffee Stains on Teeth?

This study evaluates whether some common beverages treated before coffee could protect or increase tooth staining caused by coffee. Initial color of 50 incisor teeth were measured with a spectrophotometer and recorded according to CIELAB color system. Teeth were randomly divided into five groups, water (control), milk, green tea, orange juice, and cola (n = 10) and were kept in selected beverage for 10 min. Immediately afterward, they were immersed in coffee and allowed to stand for 24 h. The treatment was repeated for 5 days. At the end of the fifth day, L*a*b* color measurements of the teeth were repeated. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium changes on representative teeth surfaces were also investigated with X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Color differences were calculated with both CIE_ab and CIE₀₀ formulas. Groups were compared with Kruskal-Wallis test complemented by the Bonferroni correction and Mann-Whitney U test for pairwise comparisons (P = .05). The teeth submitted to coffee challenges after distillated water or beverages showed a perceptible color change. Soaking in cola or orange juice before coffee immersion caused severe tooth discoloration. All the beverages tested here were not able to protect the tooth from coffee staining. People should be informed that some acidic beverages consumed before a coffee can worsen the coffee-based tooth discolorations.