For most people, autumn is all about getting in the mood for the holidays, taking family trips to the pumpkin patch, and fighting off the chilly weather with hot drinks. The last thing you’re probably thinking about is how all the coffee, tea, and hot chocolate you’re drinking to keep you warm is impacting your oral health. While hot drinks aren’t always bad for your teeth, there are some precautionary measures you could put into practice so they cause less damage. Here are some tips you can follow to keep your oral health in tip-top shape this pumpkin spice season.
Add Milk to Your Coffee to Remineralize Enamel
If you can hardly stand the bitterness of coffee or espresso, but don’t want to ruin your teeth, you can add milk. White dairy products are a great way to strengthen your enamel. This moo-gnificent liquid can even prevent tannins from attaching to your teeth and causing discoloration.
Ditch Sugary Additions Like Flavored Syrups
You don’t have to throw drinking coffee out altogether to keep your oral health in great shape. In fact, recent research has even found that roasted coffee beans can prevent cavities. It’s the sugary syrups and additions that make it enjoyable that are the problem. These can attach to your teeth, encouraging harmful oral bacteria to accumulate and cause decay. So, instead of risking oral health problems, it’s best to just ditch the sugar and syrup altogether.
Switch to Green and Herbal Teas
If your choice of beverage is black tea, and you don’t want your teeth to become severely stained, it’s time to make the switch to green and herbal teas. These don’t contain as many tannins and even have anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, according to a study published in 2016, green tea can protect against common oral health problems like cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.
Avoid Hot Chocolate Altogether
It’s no surprise that hot chocolate is packed with sugar, and there’s really no way to get around that fact. Instead of using a powder to make your hot chocolate, you can consider using a sugar-free recipe at home. Although it may not be as convenient, your pearly whites will thank you for it by remaining cavity-free.
Drink Plenty of Water
During the fall, the last drink you think about reaching for is a glass of cold water. However, it’s important that you stay hydrated and routinely rinse your mouth of bacteria, plaque, and sugar buildup. For a new autumn favorite, try drinking hot water with some honey and a little bit of lemon!
Use a Straw
To avoid needing professional teeth whitening treatment come summer, try using a straw to drink any beverages that are rich in tannins. This can prevent the liquid from coming into direct contact with your pearly whites, causing surface stains to appear.
Are hot drinks bad for your teeth? Not necessarily, but there are certain precautionary measures you can take to make them better for your teeth. With these tips, you can enjoy pumpkin spice season without having to worry about having an unwanted holiday surprise of oral health problems.
About the Author
Dr. Cale Beasley started his career as a dental assistant and has worked with an array of patients. He is passionate about providing the highest quality of individualized dental care possible and establishing trusting and long-lasting relationships with his patients. He offers comprehensive care from everything like a routine checkup and cleaning to Invisalign orthodontic treatment. For questions or to schedule an appointment, visit Littleton Dental Studio’s website or call 303-794-1707.