If you've been to a trendy café in the past few years, chances are you've seen matcha on the menu, heard about the benefits of green tea, and have decided to jump on the matcha bandwagon.
Congratulations! Drinking tea is more than just a fad and you’re in for a delicious, healthy treat. But what is this mysterious green powder, and why is it so popular?
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is a type of green tea that is pulverized into a fine powder. Unlike other types of tea, which are brewed using loose leaves, matcha tea is made by dissolving the powder in water. This results in a much more concentrated and potent version of green tea- think green tea EXTRACT. Gimme some o' THAT, right?!
Matcha is also becoming a popular alternative to coffee, as it provides a gentle boost of energy that lasts longer and doesn't end with the notorious caffeine crash.
Thanks to its tastiness, the sustained energy and increased focus it provides, and its MANY other health benefits, it appears matcha is here to stay!
But the question still remains... does drinking this green tea powder have the potential to dim your smile!? Let's talk about it...
Does Matcha Stain Teeth?
Due to the tannins found in green tea, which are a type of polyphenol that give teas their color and often slightly bitter flavor, drinking green tea/matcha does have the potential to stain teeth.
Don’t worry, though- this doesn’t mean you have to give up on your new favorite drink! Your green tea consumption would have to be QUITE high in order for you to notice even a slight shift in the shade of your teeth.
But I get it... most of us want to avoid stains altogether whenever possible. Luckily, with just a little bit of extra care, you can make EXTRA sure to keep your pearly whites looking their best.
Here are a few tips for those of you planning on drinking green tea regularly:
Tips To Prevent Staining When Regularly Drinking Green Tea/Matcha
So you drank green tea/matcha and now all you can think about is how your teeth must be rapidly changing from bright white to dingy yellow the longer you sit there doing NOTHING.
Take a deep breath... as mentioned above, that is rather unlikely as most people do not consume enough green tea for any discoloration to occur, let alone become noticeable.
However, there ARE some things you can do to ease your mind to prevent, or at least slowdown, any potential stainage from happening.
- Drink your matcha/green tea with a straw! This is an easy way to help make sure your tea doesn’t directly contact your teeth.
- Rinse your mouth with water after drinking matcha/green tea. This will help prevent the tannins from setting into your enamel, which can make it harder for them to be removed later on.
- Avoid brushing your teeth for about 30 minutes after drinking matcha/green tea. This will help avoid any scrubbing action removing that stain-inhibiting protective enamel layer from your teeth.
- Add a little milk to your matcha as the tannins will bind to the casein protein instead of to your teeth.
Take these tips into consideration when you want to enjoy a big cup of matcha green tea, but don’t worry too much. If you take the precautions listed above, you can then turn your focus toward simply appreciating matcha- ESPECIALLY for all the POSITIVE oral health benefits it provides!
Drink Green Tea/Matcha To Improve Oral Health
Matcha may have a slight potential to stain your teeth but the green tea polyphenols it contains can actually benefit your oral health in other ways. Here are a few of those ways:
May Reduce Risk Of Oral Cancer
Matcha/green tea is loaded with antioxidants that help protect against the formation of cancer cells.
May Be Protective Against Tooth Decay
Matcha also contains ECGCs, which are compounds that can help inhibit the growth of 10 different types of bacteria linked to tooth decay.
May Reverse And Prevent Gum Disease
Matcha's anti-inflammatory benefits help to reduce inflammation and improve periodontal disease and overall gum health.
Helps Prevent Bad Breath
The antibacterial properties found in matcha green tea help to keep the bad breath bacteria at bay and promote an overall healthy mouth.
Let's Recap!
Hopefully, you now have a solid, "Maybe!", answer to your question: "Does matcha stain teeth?"
Though drinking matcha may have a slight potential to stain your teeth, the oral health benefits it provides are, in my humble opinion, well worth the risk.
Not only is matcha loaded with antioxidants that help protect against the formation of cancer cells and bacteria linked to tooth decay, but it also contains ECGCs, which are compounds that can help inhibit the growth of 10 different types of bacteria.
Additionally, its anti-inflammatory benefits help reduce inflammation and improve periodontal disease and overall gum health.
So get yourself some green or BLUE matcha, and start reaping the benefits for yourself ASAP! Cheers!
