BUY 2, 20% OFF | BUY 3, 30% OFF | NO CODE NEEDED AT CHECKOUT

9 Alcoholic Drinks That Can Stain Your Teeth (and How to Prevent It)

A lineup of alcoholic drinks, including colorful and coffee cocktails, all of which may stain teeth


The right drink is the cherry on top of any celebration. Graduation? Wine. Your team just won? Feeling like The Godfather? Pour the whiskey. But while the fun fades, the aftermath lingers — and it shows up as tooth stains.

Here are 9 alcoholic drinks that stain your teeth and what you can do about it (without skipping happy hour).

9 Teeth Staining Beverages That Are Wrecking Your White Smile

Red Wine

Red wine being poured into a glass, a dark alcoholic drink that can stain teeth.
As the saying goes, the deeper the pour, the deeper the stain. Red wines are naturally prone to staining teeth because they contain high levels of tannins, compounds responsible for the drink's vibrancy and bold flavor, as Healthline notes, along with chromogens and acidity. These components can vary depending on whether the wine is light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied, as well as its fermentation process. 

For example, Virgin Wines highlights Cabernet Sauvignon as one of the most popular. Known for its bold flavor, rich color, and full-bodied profile, it's also packed with tannins — all traits of a highly tooth-staining alcoholic beverage.

Curious how tannins mess with your smile? We've broken it down in this quick read: 12 Surprising Foods and Drinks That Stain Your Teeth — And What to Do

White Wine

Two glasses of white wine on tables, a lighter wine that can still cause tooth discoloration.

Don't let the pale color fool you. White wine can be just as staining as its red counterpart. Even without the deep hues, white wine goes through fermentation, which increases its acidity. Highly acidic food and beverages can weaken your enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to tooth discoloration, decay, and damage.

Virgin Wines highlights Chardonnay (unoaked), Riesling, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, and Pinot Blanc as some of the most acidic white wines. If any of these sound familiar, your smile might be at risk for wine-related tooth stains.

Dark Rum

Dark rum on a table, a molasses-rich drink known to contribute to tooth stains.

Sweet, spiced, or dark... rum knows how to party and leave a mark. Tastylicious provides a medically reviewed breakdown showing that rum has a pH level of 4.8. On the pH scale provided by Healthline, 0 is the most acidic, 7 is neutral, and 14 is alkaline — so rum sits on the more acidic side.

Rum's staining capability also lies in which category it falls into: white/light rum, gold/amber rum, dark rum, and spiced rum. Dark rum is the most tooth staining due to its molasses content or sugarcane syrup, a heavily pigmented component that can bind to your tooth enamel. Examples include Plantation Original Dark Rum, Goslings Black Seal Rum, Bacardi Carta Negra, and Black Black Gold Rum.

Whiskey

A glass of whiskey on an oak barrel, a dark liquor that may discolor teeth over time.
Whiskey might be liquid gold in a glass, but it'll turn your teeth gold too... and not in a good way. A medically reviewed article by Greatist notes that whiskey has a pH level between 3.68 and 4.78, which is well below the neutral pH of 7. Combined with its acidity, the dark pigments from oak barrel aging and caramel coloring can contribute to long-term stains on your teeth.

Brandy 

A bottle and glass of brandy on a table, an aged spirit that can stain teeth.

Brandy might be warm to your chest, but it won't extend the same warmth to your enamel. According to a study, brandy has a pH level between 2.6 and 4.0, depending on whether it's freshly distilled or aged. While distillation removes many natural tannins, aged brandy can still pick up tannins from the oak barrels — increasing its potential to stain your teeth.

Dark Beer

An extra-large mug of dark beer, a roasted malt drink that can leave teeth discolored
No cookout feels complete without beer. But what if it leaves its mark on your teeth? Unlike regular beer, dark beer is brewed with roasted malts that often carry notes of chocolate, coffee, caramel, nuts, or even fruit. These deep flavors often come with high levels of chromogens — pigments that love to cling to your enamel.

Some examples of dark beers that stain the most include Guinness Extra Stout, Founders Breakfast Stout, Fuller's London Porter, Bell's Expedition Stout, and Rochefort 10. These are brewed with coffee and chocolate, making them especially rich in chromogens — meaning they don't just taste bold, they can leave a bold mark on your smile too.

Colored Cocktails

A vibrant red-orange cocktail with blood orange and lime, an acidic, pigmented drink that may stain teeth.
Those bright, colorful cocktails aren't just fun to look at; they can also leave your teeth looking less than perfect. The usual fruits and juices used to make them, like blueberries, pomegranate, raspberries, and plums, are packed with pigments and acids that cling to enamel and cause staining.

Even lighter fruits such as oranges, pineapples, and limes may not stain directly, but their acidity can weaken enamel and make your teeth more vulnerable to stains. In fact, WebMD confirms that acidic fruits can soften enamel, creating the perfect surface for stains to stick.

Coffee Cocktails

A coffee cocktail on a marble table, a dark, tannin-rich drink that can discolor teeth.
A coffee cocktail might sound like the best of both worlds — coffee and liquor — but it can take a toll on your teeth. Coffee contains tannins and dark pigments that easily cling to enamel, while alcohol and acidic mixers can weaken that enamel over time. Together, they make your teeth more vulnerable to deep, stubborn stains.

Coffee cocktails made with vodka (like the Espresso Martini, Black Russian, and White Russian), Irish whiskey (like Irish Coffee), or triple-liquor mixes (like the Cold Brew Negroni) are some of the worst offenders when it comes to tooth staining.

Sangria

A glass of sangria with a lemon slice, a fruity, pigmented drink that can stain teeth.
If coffee cocktails give you the best of both worlds, sangria is straight out of the multiverse. This layered drink typically combines red wine, brandy, fruit juices, sweeteners, soda, and sometimes even extra liqueurs. It's bold, flavorful, and packed with pigments that can leave a lasting mark on your teeth.

The most tooth-staining sangria recipes include red wine, dark berries, pomegranate juice, and citrus fruits. This combo is rich in chromogens, tannins, and acids. Together, they create the triple threat that weakens enamel and leads to stubborn stains.

Not sure if your stains are from wine, coffee, or something else? This blog gives a quick color guide: Tooth Stain Colors Explained: What Yellow, Gray, and Purple Teeth Really Mean

How to Keep Your Teeth White While Drinking Alcohol

Don't worry, we get it! Giving up alcohol entirely during happy hours isn't fun and easy. Here are three simple ways to help you keep your smile bright, even while enjoying your favorite drinks.

🧃 Drink Smarter, Not Lesser

The smartest way to prevent tooth stains from alcohol is to lessen contact between the drink and your teeth such as using a straw, rinsing with water after every sip, and taking smaller gulps. Also, try to avoid drinking anything aside from water on an empty stomach. Without food and saliva as natural buffers, your teeth are more vulnerable to acids and pigments.

🪥 Defend Your Teeth Daily

A healthy smile goes a long way. Flossing daily, brushing your teeth twice a day, and gargling some gentle mouthwash are your holy trinity in reducing bacteria, protecting your enamel, and preventing long-term complications. You can also include our Cleaning + Whitening Foam in your routine. It's a gentle, safe way to support enamel health and help prevent discoloration.

✨ Use an At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit

Since your drinking habits and oral care are on track, it's a great time to give your smile some extra care. Our Teeth Whitening Kit helps reduce and prevent stains from alcohol — without the pricey trip to a professional. It comes in three strengths (10%, 20% and 30%) so you can pick what's right for your teeth's sensitivity. Plus, the custom-molded tray keeps the whitening formula right where it should be — for a brighter smile that lasts.

Want the full breakdown on why whitening trays matter? Check out our blog: The Science Behind Teeth Whitening, Mouth Guards & More.

You don't have to give up happy hour to keep your teeth white — you just need a smarter approach! Grab our teeth whitening essentials today.


Frequently Asked Questions

❓ What are the best ways to prevent teeth stains from wine?

As a rule of thumb, limiting contact between drinks and your teeth is the best way to prevent stains. When drinking alone, use a straw; in social settings, rinse your mouth with water after each sip. Maintaining excellent oral hygiene is also essential to protect your enamel from wear.

❓ Can vodka stain your teeth?

Vodka is generally less likely to stain teeth compared to dark, heavily pigmented liquors. However, frequent consumption, especially with colorful mixers, can still leave marks.

❓ Can ClearClub’s Whitening Kit remove tooth stains from alcohol?

Yes! ClearClub’s Teeth Whitening Kit is designed to target common surface stains from drinks like wine, beer, and cocktails. It comes in three strengths, with the strongest (30%) delivering noticeable results in just 1–2 consecutive days. It also has a custom-molded tray to ensure that the product will target only your teeth.

Looking for something else? Check our full FAQ section.

Back to All About Night Guards, Mouth Guards and TMJ