First of all, I would like to point out the fact that peppermint is a key ingredient used by numerous toothpaste manufacturers.
Therefore, it is highly unlikely that peppermint itself could stain your teeth; otherwise it would not be used in toothpastes at all.
Of course, just because it doesn’t stain your teeth, it doesn’t mean that it makes them whiter automatically, since whiter teeth can be the result of other natural or artificial teeth-whitening substances contained in toothpaste.
However, peppermint gives you a fresher breath, a cleaner mouth, and a better oral hygiene overall.
It’s a natural and extremely beneficial herb, and if you drink it in the form of peppermint tea, then you will definitely enjoy those health benefits.
On the other hand, there are claims, according to which, peppermint tea does actually stain the teeth.
These claims use the following argument: “Since the residues of peppermint tea can stain a porcelain cup, there is not any reason why they should not stain your teeth”.
OK, but, if this is true, then even plain water can cause stains if you leave it in a porcelain cup after some time.
The thing with peppermint tea, and with any other herbal tea (or even coffee, which shouldn’t surprise you), is that you just sip it and drink it; you don’t leave it in your mouth to cause residues, and as a result, stains.
And if you have a glass of water just after your cup of peppermint tea, then you eliminate the stain effect.
All foods and beverages can (and do) cause stains on your teeth.
Even those foods that are thought to be helpful in keeping your teeth clean, like apples, for example, can do more harm than good, if left in your mouth for hours, because of the acids that they contain.
Therefore, peppermint tea cannot cause stains if sipped in a matter of moments, and then washed down with some water. It can cause stains, however, if you leave it on your teeth over a longer period of time, which is actually the case with any other food or beverage, and not only with peppermint tea.
Further reading:
5 Teas That Won’t Stain Your Teeth
Does Peppermint Tea Stain Teeth?
