Teeth Stains: Paper Filter vs Strainer
I had very bad stains on the back of my teeth as well as in between my teeth (which are very hard to clean). I was using a metal strainer with Teavana Earl Grey Creme. For a while, I had to get a professional cleaning every two months.
Afterward, I started using paper filters and teabags (from other brands) and saw a huge difference. Anyone else have similar experiences?
(I use finum paper filters)
What kind of time period are we talking?
I drink about 30 cups a day and haven’t had an issue, but this is only for about 2-3 years.
wow thats a lot of tea. I was drinking about 5-6 cups of Teavana Earl Grey Creme tea a day for at least 6 months. Then I switched to other teas that used tea bags and this helped a lot.
At first I thought it was just the Teavana tea that was causing the severe staining, but recently I bought a pound of the Earl Grey Creme and used paper filters and didn’t have a problem.
Everyone’s teeth seems to be different when it comes to staining though… I’ve seen chain smokers with pure white teeth and claim to not whiten.
I’m just curious if the metal you were steeping from somehow was low quality and caused something to come out when the water was boiling temperature… if that is even possible, but even if so would that cause yellowing?
yeah that is very true; everyone’s body behaves differently.
I think the metal was Made in Japan stainless steel; and it doesn’t seem to have discoloration or rust. If I had to guess maybe the minerals/chemicals in the water make a difference? I did use bottled water and now I am using a home water filter system.
As mentioned, the only other varying factor was the switch from loose leaf in a metal strainer to loose leaf in a paper filter.
I hear that using a strainer brings out more flavor; however if a paper filter helps prevent stains, maybe use both? e.g. use the strainer in the teapot to brew the tea, then use the paper filter to pour into a cup of tea?
I hate having to use Interdental Brushes.
ps: proust, I don’t know if that is 30 cups of black tea you are drinking but do you have any concerns about oxalate?
Interesting. I know I use both now because of the ease at work.
In regars to oxalate, still waiting for proof:http://now.snopes.com/2015/04/02/kidney-tea/
When I drink a puerh I go in about 25 steeps and it is normal that I drink three to four different types of tea a day with at least 2 varations. Science can study my kidneys :-D
re: paper filters, you might want to use the brown/unbleached ones.
I didn’t know they made those. Do you have any recommendations?
I currently use oxygen-bleached paper filters which are supposedly safer than chlorine bleached products.
i do not currently use them because of the extra effort and cost. not to mention the glue that is used to keep them together http://bodyunburdened.com/the-hidden-dangers-of-bagged-tea/
ive seen recommendations of brushing right after drinking tea :)
Thanks for the info~ I didn’t know that some paper has glue and bind agents (epichlorohydrin); I’ll have to do some more research into this.
you’re welcome! hope you find what you’re looking for :)
why not go the teeth whitening route?
I used to have severe problem with grinding teeth. The enamel on my molars is a bit worn, so I try to avoid harsh agents (when possible).
One time, I went a bit overboard with my interdental brushes and used them (for 3 minutes) after each cup of tea. That caused my gums to recede a bit too.
Before I started a tea company, I worked in a dental office for a little bit. Anyway, there are many factors that depend how your teeth stain such as salivary composition, medication, etc. Anyway, I did have some people use those glass straws for drinking teas/coffee. Not sure how you would feel about that, but it would help cut down on stains. Interesting about the filters though, I never thought as that as an option!
My dentist recommended a straw and also rinsing with water after drinking tea. I think these help but I still had problems even when I was doing this; the problem was interdental stains (between the teeth). I definitely think there are many factors involved with teeth stains. A little experimentation goes a long way when trying to mitigate stains. Paper filters seem to help me, but I wanted to check whether other people had similar results.
It may depend on the kind of tea you’re drinking. I’ve read that black tea is more prone to staining your teeth due to the high tannin content. Some varieties can stain teeth more than coffee. Green and white teas are less likely to discolor your teeth.
Yeah, I’ve read tannin is the tea component that stains teeth.
I did find this interesting:
http://www.freysmiles.com/blog/view/reduce-tooth-staining-by-steeping-tea-in-tea-bags-or-tea-filter-paper
I am not sure, but I believe he is referring to tannin when talking about tooth staining molecules.
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