Comparative effects of bubble tea and black tea on the color stability of nanofilled and microhybrid composite resins over time
Anatolian Clinic Journal of Medical Sciences. 2026;31(2):330-339.
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study evaluates the effect of bubble tea and black tea on the color stability of composite resins.
Methods: Composite resin specimens (6×2 mm) [Enamel Plus HRi (HRi), Filtek Universal Restorative (FU), and G-ænial Anterior (GC)] were prepared (n = 90). A spectrophotometer was used to record baseline color values. The specimens in each composite resin group were randomly divided into three subgroups and submerged in bubble tea, black tea, and, as a control, distilled water (n = 10). Color measurements were conducted at three time points: a baseline before immersion (t0), after 24 hours (t1), and 28 days (t2) of storage in different immersion media. The color change (ΔE00) values for the specimens were computed using the CIEDE2000 color difference equation. The ΔE00 values were assessed based on the 50/50% perceptibility and acceptability thresholds. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD test for pairwise comparisons (p < 0.05).
Results: Both bubble tea and black tea caused color changes exceeding the acceptability threshold in all composite materials at 24 hours and 28 days. The ΔE00 values of all composites increased significantly between these two time points (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed among the composites in ΔE00 values over 24 hours (p > 0.05). After 28 days in black tea, FU exhibited significantly higher ΔE00 values compared to GC and HRi (p < 0.05). In contrast, HRi demonstrated significantly lower discoloration than FU and GC following 28 days of immersion in bubble tea (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Bubble tea and black tea induced discoloration above the acceptable threshold in the tested composite materials. Prolonged immersion time increased the color change in all materials. Although short-term immersion revealed no material-dependent differences, long-term color stability differed depending on the composite resin and the immersion medium employed.
KEYWORDS
Color · composite dental resin · tea
STUDY SUMMARY
This in vitro study compared the effect of bubble tea and black tea on the color stability of three resin composites, measuring CIEDE2000 color change after 24 hours and 28 days of immersion against perceptibility and acceptability thresholds. Both beverages produced color change above the acceptability threshold in all three materials at both time points, and the change increased significantly with immersion time. Differences between the composites emerged only after long-term immersion, where the ranking depended on both the composite and the immersion medium.