Coffee is a popular beverage among Americans, with over 50% consuming at least one cup per day. So, it’s safe to say that many people can’t start their morning without a fresh, hot cup of the stuff. While it provides your morning with a delicious smell and taste, coffee can have negative impacts on your oral health. Continue reading to learn about the ways that drinking coffee can impact your smile as well as what you can do to prevent this.
How Coffee Affects Your Teeth
Drinking one cup of coffee daily can decrease the likelihood of diabetes, stroke, and respiratory or kidney diseases, as per a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. However, excessive coffee intake can also have negative effects on your smile.
Coffee can cause cavities because it contains acids that can wear away tooth enamel, and the addition of sugar or creamer can further promote the growth of cavity-causing bacteria. It can also leave you with halitosis, also known as bad breath.
5 Prevention Tactics to Implement Right Away
Fortunately, you can still enjoy your coffee as there are some best practices you can adopt to safeguard your dental health, such as:
- Use a straw – Drinking coffee through a straw can prevent it from coming into contact with your teeth as much, which can help protect them from the harmful effects.
- Moderation – To minimize the contact time between your teeth and coffee, limit coffee consumption throughout the day.
- Drink water – After finishing your morning cup, rinsing your mouth with water will remove any lingering coffee and sweetener residue from your teeth.
- Brush and floss – To minimize your risk of tooth decay, it’s recommended to brush and floss your teeth around 30 minutes after consuming a cup of coffee. This is because the acid levels in your mouth go up when you eat or drink anything other than water.
- Eat veggies – Eating crunchy vegetables such as carrots and celery can help prevent tooth discoloration and combat bad breath.
How Your Dentist Can Help
If you’re struggling with stubborn coffee stains or severe tooth discoloration, consider consulting your dentist about cosmetic options like teeth whitening, dental bonding, all-ceramic restorations, or veneers. Additionally, scheduling regular dental checkups can help your dentist detect and address any underlying factors causing the discoloration and provide a thorough cleaning.
By implementing the above practices and maintaining regular dental checkups, you can still enjoy the occasional cup of coffee. So, go ahead and savor your favorite beverage. Just remember to take care of your pearly whites in the process so you can continue enjoying having a healthy, beautiful smile!
About the Practice
D&G Dental, which is headed by Dr. Med Dawoud and Dr. Paula Gencarelli, provides exceptional and long-lasting dental care. They are committed to providing personalized care to their patients, including cosmetic treatments to address teeth discoloration. They use the latest dental technology and techniques to ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment. In addition to cosmetic treatments, they also offer a wide range of general and restorative dental services to meet the unique needs of each patient. For questions about their services or to schedule an appointment, call D&G Dental at (973) 731-2200 or visit their website.