Coffee Mourning – I Quit Coffee for a Month (and survived)

I can’t believe a month has passed since I had a cup of coffee, it’s gone so quickly.

I also quit tea and diet coke. I’ll admit that I cheated a little and had some jasmine tea, but as it’s not black tea I think I can just about get away with that. I was ill with a vomiting bug last week and the only thing I wanted to drink was flat diet coke, so I did allow myself a couple of glasses of that, but only because I was poorly sick sick.

Apart from those minor indiscretions I think I’ve done pretty well considering. The aim of it was to see of giving up dark coloured drinks would make a difference to the colour of my teeth. I think so, and while the change wasn’t massively dramatic I think it was enough to make it worthwhile. I’ve taken a before and after picture, which isn’t great, but in real life there is less staining and more of a sparkle.

teeth before and after — They don’t look much different, but in real life they are

I’m pretty impressed with the results after just a month and although I will be going back to having all the drinks I missed, I won’t be drinking as many of them as I used to. I do love coffee and diet coke but it’s been nice to make the change, even if it was only temporary.

For me the worst thing over the month was the lack of caffeine. I had a bad headache for the best part of a week and really struggled to stay awake and alert for most of the month. I don’t think I’ve been as productive and as sparky as usual either. To be honest, top of my agenda now is getting a really good brew inside me. Personally I think I’d rather be awake and alert and have slightly stained teeth than pearly whites and a constant need for a nap. But each to their own.

Coffee Mourning – Surviving a Caffeine Free month!

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about me quitting coffee, tea and diet coke for a month to see if it’ll make a difference to the colour of my teeth. Not only that, I wanted to try going caffeine free for a while. I thought it was about time for a catch up; so here’s how the last couple of weeks have gone.

I was a serious diet coke addict. I’d drink a couple of pints a day, easily. On top of that there were the four or so cups of coffee and the odd cup of tea when I fancied it. Looking at that written down, that’s quite a caffeine habit.

Coffee Mourning - Surviving a month Caffeine Free!

The first week was not easy at all. It was clear was addicted to caffeine and I suffered the usual headache that goes with going cold turkey and caffeine free. I had a stonking headache for 6 days. These kind of headaches are for some baffling reason (a Doctor told me) impervious to painkillers, so there was nothing I could do about them really.

I soon realised my life was essentially propped up by caffeine; within 48 hours of stopping I could hardly keep my eyes open. Annoyingly I kept nodding off, it was awful. Admittedly my pain medication which makes me sleepy at the best of times wasn’t helping, but that first week was nothing short of hell.

I’m at the end of week two now. I am sleepy but not nodding off like I was last week. I’m missing my favourite drinks. I’ve replaced them with lemon squash and hot chocolate when I need a hot drink. It’s not too bad really. I’m feeling ok about the next couple of weeks without coffee, tea and diet coke.

But, is it making my teeth whiter? I think so, not dramatically, not Hollywood white, but they are definitely less stained. I’m happy with how things are going and it’ll be interesting to properly compare my teeth once the month is up.

Could you go caffeine free for a month?

Coffee Mourning – Quitting Coffee for 30 Days

Hello, my name’s Jane and I’m a coffee addict. I’m also about to try quitting coffee for 30 days.

It’s not like I roll out of bed and my first thought is COFFEE, but it’s not far off that. I will drink instant, but my weakness is really good filter coffee. If I’m in the mood for a coffee with a bit of foamy frippery, then a cappuccino is the order of the day.

For the next 30 days I’m quitting coffee. I’m quitting to see if I can cope without it and I’m quitting to see if it’ll make a difference to the colour of my coffee stained teeth. I am also quitting because I’m utterly addicted to caffeine and need to stop, or at least cut down.

Coffee Mourning - Surviving a month Caffeine Free!

This is going to be a real test for me. I’ll be giving up coffee, tea and my precious diet coke too. It’s going to be a tough month; missing out on all my favourite drinks and going caffeine free and cold turkey for 30 days.

Drinks like coffee, tea, red wine and coke can really stain your teeth over time. Your tooth enamel contains tiny pits and ridges that can hold particles of food and drink. Pigments from these dark-colored drinks can become embedded in those pits and ridges and cause permanent, yellow stains on your teeth.

Obviously prevention is better than a cure. If you can stop your teeth yellowing in the first place; then you can reduce the need for expensive tooth whitening treatments later on. Cutting out caffeine will not only have a positive impact on my general health and well-being, it could also help my teeth stay whiter and brighter for longer.

I’m pretty excited (and slightly terrified) about this. I suspect giving up coffee, tea and diet coke will do more to me than make my teeth a slightly paler shade. So who knows what I’ll be like in 30 days, watch this space!