Duncan, OK, dentist Dr. Matthew Bridges settles the great coffee and teeth debate! He looks forward to answering your questions and concerns regarding coffee and teeth at your next scheduled dental appointment at Chisholm Trail Smile Center.

Coffee is mildly acidic.

Many people wonder if coffee is bad for the teeth. Compared to pure water with a pH of 7, black coffee has a pH of 5. Therefore, acidic coffee can weaken your enamel.

Never fear! You have virtually nothing to worry about as long as you brush your teeth after drinking your morning coffee and consume a balanced diet.

Also, consider swirling in a bit of milk if you’re worried about acidity. Adding milk to your coffee raises the pH of your cup of joe from 5 to 6. Plus, a little milk in your coffee is easy to supplement a little calcium to your diet.

Coffee can stain your teeth.

There’s no sugar coating it: coffee stains your teeth. Coffee contains tannins, micronutrients found in plant-based foods that decompose in water. Tannins cause color compounds to stick to the teeth, leaving bothersome yellow staining. Although this surface-level staining is not necessarily destructive, it can be lifted with whitening treatments.

Black coffee might help prevent tooth decay.

If you love coffee, stick with primarily black coffee. Although coffee is acidic, you might be surprised to discover that one study boasted coffee’s antibacterial and anticaries properties. Furthermore, researchers concluded that it could help prevent the development of dental caries, and subjects who drank black coffee had significantly less decayed, missing, and filled teeth, measured as a 2.9 DMFS (decayed, missing, and filled score).

Black coffee is healthier than coffee with milk and sweeteners.

In the same study, researchers found out that people that drink coffee with milk but no sugar had an average DMFS of 3.4. Comparatively, patients who drank coffee with sugar and creaming agents had a DMFS of 5.5.

Based on this study, we can assume that additives in coffee minimalize the positive effects. However, it’s better to have coffee with milk than with cream and sugar.

This study supports the well-known fact that beverages loaded with sugar (for example, fancy, sweetened coffee drinks) are much worse for your oral health than sugar-free drinks. Furthermore, sweetened coffee drinks combine the natural acidic trait of coffee with multiple spoonfuls of sugar. This fosters a breeding ground for the oral bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

Reverse Coffee Stains Right Now

In summary, coffee and teeth can have a healthy relationship as long as you brush your teeth after a cup of coffee and primarily stick to black coffee.

Are you a coffee lover with surface-level staining? If so, don’t panic! Dr. Bridges may be able to remove some of the extrinsic yellowing at your next preventive teeth cleaning and checkup appointment. Additionally, Dr. Bridges offers professional in-office and take-home whitening treatments for more dramatic results. Find out about your teeth whitening options by calling 580-255-4880 or messaging us online.

The post Coffee and Teeth: Should I be worried about my smile if I drink coffee daily? appeared first on Chisholm Trail.

A family dentist will be your guide when it comes to avoiding baby bottle tooth decay, eliminating pacifier and thumb-sucking habits, teaching your little one to brush and floss, and encouraging healthy eating habits. For more personalized tips, schedule an appointment with our family dentist today!

Continue reading to learn five oral health tips for kids from our family dentist.

1. Understand the effects of bad habits

Putting your baby to bed with a bottle in her mouth may soothe her and help her fall asleep faster but it could cause baby bottle tooth decay. This occurs because sugar from the milk sticks to the teeth and saliva production decreases while sleeping. If left untreated, tooth decay can result in early tooth loss.

Thumb-sucking and pacifier habits can also negatively affect your child’s oral health and development. Children should stop using these comfort mechanisms by age 4. If not, their upper front teeth may not erupt properly, and they may develop misalignment. Other complications related to thumb-sucking and pacifier habits include roof narrowing and tooth decay.

Understanding the impacts of these bad habits helps parents know what to look for when it comes to their child’s oral health and development.

2. Start brushing and flossing early

Even before a baby has teeth, parents should be cleaning their child’s gums with a damp cloth to prevent disease-causing bacteria from attacking the teeth below the surface.

Once a baby has developed his first tooth, parents can begin using a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste to gently clean the tooth. The best way to do this is to have your little one lay down in your lap, open wide, and let you gently clean his tooth.

Then, when two teeth have developed side-by-side, flossing is a must. Use the same technique as brushing.

Your child may not like this at first, but she will grow accustomed to the routine.

3. Offer healthy snacks

Crackers are one of the most convenient kid-friendly snacks available. Unfortunately, they are also one of the leading causes of cavities. Thankfully, there are many other options that are convenient and healthy.

These snack foods are high in protein and calcium to help your little one maintain good oral health:

• String cheese
• Almonds
• Apples and almond or peanut butter
• Sweet potato chips
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Greek yogurt

4. Make oral health care fun

We understand that even adults find brushing and flossing their teeth unenjoyable, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are a few ideas for making oral health care fun for your little one (and yourself!):

• Turn on a two-minute song or entertaining video
• Do your oral hygiene routines together in the morning and evening
• Offer rewards for consecutive days of brushing and flossing
• Take your little one shopping for her toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss

5. Visit your family dentist every six months

The American Dental Association recommends that people of all ages visit the dentist at least every six months or at their dentist’s recommendation. This includes children with at least one tooth.

During children’s dental appointments, the family dentist examines his teeth, gums, and jaw for proper development, checks for signs of decay and disease, and offers preventive treatments. Parents also learn helpful tips for how to care for their child’s smile.

The key to a great family dentist experience is to choose a family dentist with lots of experience! Dr. Matthew L. Bridges has been a practicing family dentist for over two decades. He enjoys treating patients of all ages, but especially children.

To schedule your child’s dental appointment at Chisholm Trail Smile Center, contact our friendly dental team today at (580) 255-4880.

The post Family Dentist Offers 5 Oral Health Tips for Kids appeared first on Chisholm Trail.