UK woman asks Singaporeans for advice after her teeth turned grey due to too much Teh C

SINGAPORE: A British woman in Singapore has endeared herself to some in the city-state after admitting her great love for Teh C Siew Dai, which she says she drinks every day. 

However, Ellie Cheale, a nutritionist, said in a recent Instagram video that her dentist is not too happy with this habit, as it has been turning her teeth grey.

For the uninitiated, Teh C Siew Dai is made with strong black tea, evaporated milk, and some sugar. Because it contains tannins, black tea can stain tooth enamel even more than coffee does.

“Singaporeans, we need to talk about Teh and my Teeth!” she wrote in the text overlay on her video.

Ms Cheale called the drink her favourite in Singapore, despite having been told by her dentist that she has seen grey stains in her teeth every time she’s come in for an appointment.

After she told the dentist about her daily drink, she understood why.

However, she does not want to give the drink up, and is now trying to see if using a straw will help stain her teeth less. Her dentist has told her that drinking water after finishing the tea will also help.

“Of course the solution is to stop drinking, but I love it too much,” she said, asking viewers for recommendations for a fix.

“Teh C Siew Dai + teeth staining + Singapore life. Got any tips for preventing tea stains? Tell me below! I want to hear them,” she wrote in the caption to her post.

While any health issue should be addressed, some commenters on her post were charmed by the situation.

"I’ve seen enough… Please collect your Singaporean passport from ICA immediately,” one wrote.

“TEH C IS LOVE! TEH C IS LIFE!” added another, and a third chimed in with, “Legit a drink that all locals get hooked on.”

Others endeavoured to provide helpful suggestions.

“As an experienced local, and someone who pays my dentist too much money, I will tell you that the best trick is to drink fast, and immediately rinse your mouth with plain water. I have a friend who does one mouth tea/coffee, then one rinse of water. She is extreme that way, but it works,” one wrote.

Ms Cheale thanked them for this, adding that she sips her tea slowly, which has likely added to the problem.

“Rinse your mouth out with water after every cuppa - like 30 secs of really giving it a good gargle,” another suggested. /TISG

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