Hi Dr. Ellie

First of all, I wanted to let you know that I have been using your program for almost 6 months now and am completely in love with it. My teeth are looking great and getting healthier. I have also noticed a dramatic lessening of sensitivity to hot and cold food or drinks. I am so indebted to you for this. I do have one question. I am a daily coffee drinker, usually one or two cups, and also enjoy red wine on occasion. I know these beverages stain the teeth and I am wondering if your system is enough to counteract the staining effects of these beverages over the long haul. I will consider cutting back if you feel I would gain whiter teeth overall. I’m sure you are very busy and will understand completely if you do not have time to respond. 

Thanks again,
JLK

Dear JLK,

I am such an avid coffee drinker I actually opened a coffee shop in 1984 famous for the best coffee in Rochester (and long before Starbucks came to town!) I also drink a welcome glass of Cabernet almost every night. BUT….I do not leave either of these acidic drinks soaking into my teeth.

It is not so much the color of drinks that “stain” teeth but their acidity.
The acidity opens the “pores” of the enamel. This allows stains to penetrate into the surface and the softened surface absorbs light which makes the tooth look darker.

I always end a coffee break with some kind of “tooth protective” (non-acidic) food.
If you eliminate the acidity of your mouth as quickly as possible this will negate the damage and help prevent “staining”. (Cheese and wine makes perfect sense now!) You could eat something like a banana, nuts, cheese or celery but a convenient “tooth protective food” is a Zellies mint.

After a cup of coffee a breath mint is usually welcome. After a glass of wine I am usually heading to bed so my tooth cleaning routine follows. The Closys rinse is the first stage and this safely cleans away wine stains.

Yellow color teeth are found in dry or acidic mouths. Eating Zellies removes mouth acidity and moistens a dry mouth.

Tooth enamel will stay bright if it is strong. Most of the improvement in tooth color you will notice over the next couple of years will be from hardening up your tooth enamel.
Teeth sparkle like diamonds when they are smooth and strong. (This is true at any age so even the elderly can enjoy this program!)

So…enjoy your coffee and wine. Although these drinks have the potential to damage your enamel, eating Zellies stimulates mineral rich saliva which can take away acidity, help strengthen your teeth and negate any problems.

Thanks again for your nice note- please keep in touch,
Ellie Phillips, DDS

This site is privately and personally sponsored, funded and supported by Dr. Ellie Phillips. There are no financial or personal ties to Johnson and Johnson or to Pfizer Corporation and the endorsement of their products is based on clinical observation, and independant ADA endorsement. To contact Dr. Ellie, email webmgr@zellies.com

Categories: Uncategorized

Tags: Closys, coffee, Stained Teeth, wine, zellies mint