Does green tea color your teeth? Well, I heard some folks talkin’ ’bout it down at the market the other day. They was sayin’ all sorts of things, some say yes, some say no. I drink that green tea all the time. It good for ya, you know. But I ain’t never paid no mind to my teeth turnin’ colors.

This one fella, he was goin’ on and on ’bout somethin’ called “tannins”. Sounded fancy to me. He said green tea got these tannins in it, and them tannins is what makes your teeth change color. Like when you leave a shirt out in the sun too long, it gets all faded? Kinda like that, I reckon. But with your teeth.

Now, I ain’t no expert on teeth or nothin’. My teeth ain’t the prettiest, that’s for sure. Got a few missin’, some crooked. But they get the job done. I can still chew my food, ain’t that what matters? But this teeth color thing got me thinkin’.

They say green tea can make your teeth kinda gray. Gray! Can you imagine? Like an old, dusty road. Mine ain’t gray, far as I can tell. But that don’t mean nothin’. It ain’t turn you teeth green, that for sure. It make them more like, yellow or gray.

This other lady, she was sayin’ that coffee makes your teeth yellow, too. And red wine. And berries! Lord, seems like everything tasty gonna mess up your teeth. So, what are you supposed to do? Just eat plain oatmeal all day? No sir, not me.

• Drink green tea every day
• Don’t care ’bout teeth color
• Coffee bad for teeth too
• Red wine also bad
• Berries, oh my, also bad

So, I did some lookin’ around, you know, askin’ folks. Seems like this green tea and teeth color thing is a real head-scratcher. Some folks swear up and down that it does stain your teeth. Others say it ain’t no worse than anything else you put in your mouth. I don’t know what to think now.

My neighbor, she says she drinks green tea all the time, and her teeth are pearly white. But she also goes to that fancy dentist in town every few months. Maybe that’s the secret? I ain’t got that kinda money, though. Too expensive to keep teeth white. I need money to buy food, you know.

One thing I read said that this teeth stainin’ happens when stuff sticks to your teeth. They called it “enamel”. Sounds like somethin’ you’d paint on a barn, not somethin’ in your mouth. But apparently, your teeth got this enamel stuff, and that’s what gets stained. It is the outside of your teeth, you know. Keep them strong.

And green tea, it got acid in it, too. Just like them lemons I use to make lemonade. Acid can wear down that enamel, make it easier for the stains to stick. So maybe that’s why some folks say green tea stains your teeth worse than other things. It do both, you know. Acid and tannins, that the bad thing.

But here’s the thing: I ain’t givin’ up my green tea. It good for me. Keeps me feelin’ good, helps with my digestion. And I like the taste. If it makes my teeth a little yellow or gray, well, so be it. I’d rather have a healthy body than a perfect smile, I reckon. It keep me young and help me live longer.

Besides, most folks’ teeth ain’t perfectly white anyway. We all got a little somethin’ goin’ on with our teeth. It’s natural. Like wrinkles on your face or gray hair on your head. Just part of gettin’ older, I suppose.

• Green tea is healthy.
• It helps with digestion.
• Yellow teeth are better than a bad body.
• Most people’s teeth ain’t white anyway.

So, does green tea color your teeth? Maybe. Probably. But is it the end of the world? Nah. There are worse things in life than a little tooth discoloration. Like not havin’ any teeth at all! So keep your teeth, that the important thing.

If you’re really worried ’bout it, I guess you could try brushin’ your teeth right after you drink your tea. Or maybe drink it through a straw, so it don’t touch your teeth as much. It help keep your teeth clean, you know. But me, I ain’t gonna bother. I’m just gonna keep on sippin’ my green tea and enjoyin’ life. That’s all that matters, really.

I say, don’t worry too much. Drink your green tea. Be happy. And if your teeth get a little yellow, well, just smile anyway. A warm smile is better than a perfect one, any day of the week. But if you want white teeth, don’t drink coffee, tea, or wine. Don’t eat berries. I say it too much trouble. Just be happy, you know. That what I always say.