In many cases, making small adjustments to your daily routine can make a big difference to the overall health and appearance of your smile. This is especially true when we take a look at the beverages our patients consume on a daily basis. This short article is all about decisions you can make to protect your smile from harmful drinks; keep reading to learn more from our O’Fallon dentists!
- As you may already know, the best drink for your smile, and your health as a whole, is undoubtedly plain old water. Water is sugar-free, and doesn’t leave color deposits on your dental enamel. Additionally, water keeps you hydrated, and prompts saliva production. Any time that you are able to replace a different drink with water, you are helping your smile.
- Many of us start our days out with coffee or tea. Unfortunately, both of these drinks can lead to dental staining over time. In order to minimize coffee and tea-related damage, try to consume these beverages in moderate amounts, and in short period of time, rather than continuously throughout the day.
- Wine is another indulgence that should be enjoyed sparingly. Wine is quite acidic, so not only does it discolor your smile, but it can also weaken your enamel over time. Try rinsing your smile with water after enjoying a glass of wine; this will rinse away wine traces and simultaneously prompt saliva production.
- Soft drinks are not a healthy choice for your smile, but, you may be surprised to learn that energy drinks are just as bad. Both of these types of beverages are absolutely packed with sugars; the harmful oral bacteria in your mouth feed on these sugars, and thus grown and multiply.
Swapping out a few problematic drinks with water every day will leave your smile looking and feeling fresher for years to come. As always, our O’Fallon dentists are happy to answer any questions that you may have—give us a call!