How Coffee, Tea, And Other Beverages Can Affect Your Smile

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While your favorite caffeinated drink may help you carry out your daily tasks, they can also have a negative effect on your teeth. Your smile faces risks daily, and the choices you make when it comes to what you eat and drink can affect that risk level. While regular preventive dental care can help you avoid problems like cavities, actions like brushing and flossing can provide more benefit when you reduce the amount of potential strain placed on your teeth. Of course, even good care, and a good diet, will not replace the detailed care your smile enjoys when you keep on top of your routine dental checkups.

How Your Drink Choices Affect Your Appearance

Dark liquids like coffee, tea, soft drinks, and wine all have the capacity to change the color of your teeth. Particles that pass through your teeth when you drink these beverages can wind up sticking to your enamel. When those particles accumulate, you may notice your teeth start to appear dull, and lose their whiteness. A professional teeth whitening may be in order if you hope to reverse the effects of discoloration.

Potential Oral Health Risks From Beverage Choices

If you choose items like sweet tea and soft drinks, which have more sugar, you could face a real cavity risk. When you consume sugars, the bacteria in your mouth feed on the substance, and that consumption and digestion of sugar can lead to a production of acids that damage your enamel.

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

Replacing flavored beverages with water can do more than just help you avoid certain dental risks. Ensuring you stay hydrated will help you protect your teeth. Dehydration can cause dry mouth, which leaves you with less saliva. You might not realize it, but saliva is an important natural ally in the fight to protect your teeth.

Is Your Favorite Beverage Affecting Your Smile? Dr. Cain Can Help!

Everyday choices we make can have consequences over time. If you tend to consume dark, flavored beverages – especially beverages higher in sugar – you can face the prospect of oral health and cosmetic trouble. Dr. Cain and the team at Healthy Smiles can examine your teeth for any potential problems, and talk to you about how to improve issues with your appearance. To schedule your appointment, call Healthy Smiles in Gary, IN, today at 219-938-2637. You can also reach us by email at info@healthysmilesnwi.com.