"Tea"th stains

[Mina]

Are there types of tea/infusions that are more notorious than others for staining teeth? Back when I was young and didn't know any better, I would go through several Bigelow teabags a day. I had awful, sewer-looking teeth. Got a good whitening toothpaste, laid of the tea, and things improved. Over the past year, though, I've gotten back into the tea habit and easily drink at least 6 cups a day. Almost always with milk. I notice that when I don't use milk, my teeth are browner and harder to brush clean than they are when I do use milk. Is milk like a stain preventative?

Also, I get the worst stains from rooibos or any herbal blend that brews any shade of red. Common?

Other than immediate brushing, which is impractical every time I have a cup at work, are there any tricks to prevent staining?

[yresim]

Although I found several opinionated folks who said things like "of course, green tea stains less than black, because it is lighter", I couldn't find anyone with real experience to back this up. Except one guy, who started drinking more tea at the same time he started drinking black tea, so he blamed it on the black tea instead of on the sheer amount of tea.

A dentist on this site stated that he sees the same stains regardless of the tea color:
http://www.medkb.com/uwe/Forum.aspx/...

And this study summary concluded that hot green tea actually stained slightly more than regular hot tea (I assume he means black tea):
http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2004/Projects/J0519.pdf

As for herbal "teas," like rooibos, they have their own unique reasons for staining, so of course they are going to vary widely. This study showed that herbal teas stained teeth, but didn't specify which teas they tested, or how the results varied:
http://www.irishhealth.com/?level=4&id=4882

Some other sites:
http://teaswap.stefmike.org/teaswap_arc ... 01433.html
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA318188

In general, the consensus seems to be that tea staining is less of a problem if you brush and get your teeth cleaned regularly. And, since tea contains flouride and can actually kill bacteria that cause tooth decay, it is considered to be - overall - beneficial to dental health.

To be more specific, the tips I've gotten have been:
1. Never drink tea immediately after brushing your teeth. It is best to either eat something first, or wait an hour.
2. Whenever possible, do brush your teeth after drinking tea.
3. Use a non-abrasive, whitening toothpaste.
4. Get your teeth cleaned every 6 months (that is how often you are supposed to get your teeth cleaned regardless).

[garden gal]

Thanks for the links and info. I was actually thinking about calling my dentist as it got me wondering and looking when I read that post. I drink about 16cups a day and was noticing the hotpad on the trinitea getting slightly stained. I used baking soda on it, but I think I'll put some in with the toothbrush now too.

[rhpot1991]

Just get some of that arm & hammer baking soda whitening tooth paste, should do the trick. I use whitening toothpaste and some cheapo thoothbrush with a whitening rubber insert in it. I drink about 10-14 cups a day and don't seem to be having much of a problem.

-John