There are many small tips and tricks that can help you maintain stellar dental health care. Our office would like to provide some about what the effects are when using a straw and if it is really something you should consider adding to your oral care routine.
If you regularly consume beverages like coffee, wine, or your favourite sugar soda. This simple tip could help you avoid that next cavity or even protect your pearly whites.
How A Beverage Affects Your Dental Health
Your mouth’s acidic pH level is what both protects and erodes your teeth. When it is reduced to a certain pH level. (5.5 pH and below) The bacteria begin to convert anything in its possession to acidic plaque. Some ingredients are faster than others, like sugar and starch. Water, milk, and unsweetened tea are the few drinks that will keep your mouth at a healthy level.
All others, including certain bottled waters, lower the pH to a level that allows tooth decay. The moment that you start sipping on a drink, your mouth immediately drops to an eroding level of pH. The longer you take to drink, the longer it stays at that level. Think of sipping over time, similar to dipping your tooth in something acidic. The longer it’s in, the more damage done.
Why Use A Straw With All Your Beverages?
By using a straw to consume your beverage of choice, you limit the amount of contact it has with your teeth. You also limit how quickly the pH level drops. Keep in mind this is a suggestion in aiding a proper dental care routine. By limiting contact with your teeth, you avoid staining them. For an added benefit. Limit your consummation of beverages outside of water to drinking at mealtimes. Food helps dilute the acid. The quicker you finish a drink leads to your mouth returning to a healthy pH level.
Adding the straw to your beverages is a simple tip that when included in your routine, it can boost your oral health. Combine beverages with food and rinse your mouth out with tap water after you eat or drink. For more information on how to improve your care, call us today. We are always here to assist your dental care.