Many things in life are a calculation of risks and rewards. For many, such a calculation occurs, consciously or subconsciously, each morning with the choice of a preferred hot beverage to wake up the body and mind. Starting the morning with a hot cup of coffee or tea is ubiquitous throughout the world among most adults, but both have some drawbacks, especially for oral health.
Organic compounds called tannins are found in coffee and tea, and when they have a chance to build up, they can stain healthy teeth. Coffee and teeth are also both acidic drinks (coffee more than tea), which has the negative side effect of weakening tooth enamel. Despite these risks, however, the aroma, taste, and sanity a hot cup of coffee or tea can bring at the start of a busy day are worth the potential downsides.
In this post, we’re going to share some effective tips we’ve learned for mitigating potential damage to tooth and gum structures for our all the devoted coffee and tea drinkers out there.
Drink Your Morning Beverage Through a Straw
You can drastically reduce the amount of staining and acidic liquid that touches the surface of your teeth and gums if you switch up the way you drink your coffee or tea and sip it through a straw.
Use Milk or Creamer
Adding milk or creamer to your favorite morning drink is a good way to protect your teeth from staining and keep them from being coated in acid. Milk and creamer not only lighten the color of your drink which can cut down on stains, but these dairy products also help coat the teeth, which keeps acid from sticking to them.
Wait 30 Minutes and Then Brush
After you’ve had your coffee or tea, wait about 30 minutes and then try to sneak away for a quick cleaning. You want to make sure you don’t brush right away because you want your saliva to neutralize some of the acidic compounds coating your enamel before you brush.
Rinse Your Mouth
If you’re not able to brush after a cup of coffee or tea, another good thing you can do to reduce staining and damage from acid is simply swish little water around in your mouth to rinse your teeth. This is also a good habit if you’ve had a snack with your coffee or tea because it can help dislodge food particles from hard-to-reach nooks and crannies of your teeth.
Rinse with Mouthwash
If you’re a devoted coffee or tea drinker, ask your dentist what type of mouthwash is best for your oral health conditions and try to rinse with it about 30 minutes after a hot morning drink. This can be especially beneficial if your teeth need remineralized (possibly from too much coffee or tea).
Get a Professional Dental Cleaning
If you’re concerned about existing coffee and/or tea damage to your teeth, do yourself a favor and talk to your dentist about a professional dental exam and cleaning. Giving a dentist a chance to assess damage and develop cleaning and maintenance strategies with you helps keep it from getting worse and aids in reducing future damage to your oral health.
Thanks for Reading!
Keep enjoying your coffee or tea, hopefully in moderation, and keep these tips in the back of your mind to minimize the staining and damage. If you enjoy our blog, please like our Facebook page to see our newest posts.