Pumpkin Spice and Pearly Whites

September 20, 2019

Filed under: Uncategorized — Madelaine @ 7:42 pm
cat sleeping next to a cup of coffee

When you walked out of your house this morning, you had no clue that you were going to need to bring a sweater with you. Fall weather is approaching faster than you anticipated, meaning you’re going to have to buy a throw for your coach, invest in a new winter coat, and start stopping at your favorite coffee shop for a pumpkin spice latte in the mornings. Even though hot drinks like coffee and hot chocolate get you toasty and in the mood for the holidays, they could also be causing problems for your smile. Read on to learn how to prevent pumpkin spice season from having drastic impacts on your oral health down the road.  

Don’t Let Your Smile Dull This Fall

Drinks that are rich in tannins and dark in color, like black tea and coffee, create surface stains that can blanket your smile and cause it to turn a yellowish color. Tannins are a compound commonly found in tree barks, wines, and other foods like rhubarb, that attach to tooth enamel and oral bacteria. When these accumulate on your teeth, even brushing and flossing daily won’t be able to get rid of them. To refresh your smile, you’ll need to get teeth whitening.

So, next time you’re craving a tannin-rich hot beverage to stop you from shivering, try substituting an herbal or green tea instead. Or, if you can’t go without your midday coffee-kick, you can add milk to it to dilute the color and help rebuild your enamel.

Skip the Sugary Syrups and Additions

Some people love a good cup of black coffee; however, many people need a couple of pumps of syrup or pinches of sugar to help cover the bitter taste. You may be surprised to know that coffee itself is actually great for your oral health and can even ward off cavities. But, once you add sugar, it completely eliminates those benefits and increases your risk of harmful oral bacteria buildup and decay. Hot chocolate is also packed full of sugars that can put your oral health in jeopardy, so it’s best to avoid that as well.

Keeping Your Teeth Looking and Feeling Healthy During Pumpkin Spice Season

There are steps you can take to keep your tradition without causing damage to your pearly whites. If you’re enjoying iced coffee or any beverage you can drink through a straw, this will prevent the liquid from coming into direct contact with your teeth and staining them. If you plan on continuing to add sugar and syrups to your coffee, remember to drink plain water throughout the day to keep the sugar from settling on your teeth and causing cavities.

Now, you’ll no longer have to wonder “Are hot drinks bad for my teeth?”. You can keep your autumn tradition and minimize the impact it has on your mouth by following these preventive tips. If you notice that your teeth are sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, be sure to contact your dentist. You’ll be glad you made these small changes down the road when you’ve still got a healthy and beautiful smile to show off!

About the Practice

At More Smiles Dental Spa, our team is comprised of three highly experienced and trained dentists with a variety of skills. That way, no matter what service you’d like to have done, we have a dentist that will be well-versed in it, allowing you to enjoy beautiful results. Each of our dentists is dedicated to providing individualized, trustworthy dental care in everything from sleep apnea treatment to cosmetic procedures like professional teeth whitening. For questions or to schedule an appointment, visit our website or call 985-809-7645.

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