Coffee is an integral part of many people’s morning routine. For some, it may be the most essential choice of the day. While it might get your morning started and your day going, coffee is not great for the health of your teeth. It is a dark, staining liquid. It also contains a lot of acids, which can be bad for your enamel—the protective outer layer of your teeth.
If you do drink coffee, especially in the mornings, you may want to take steps to protect your teeth from staining and decay. You could drink your coffee through a straw to minimize the time spent in your mouth and the access to your teeth. That may not be an option, particularly with hot coffee. An easy solution may be to brush your teeth before you drink coffee or consume any other food or drinks.
What Are the Pros of Brushing Before Coffee?
Brushing your teeth has been proven to increase the production of saliva in your mouth. Saliva is extremely important to your dental health for several reasons. Saliva is what breaks down food and protects your teeth from dry mouth and decay.
Bacteria naturally live in your mouth. Saliva helps to keep it at healthy levels and provides a barrier against harmful bacteria. If you use a fluoride toothpaste, you are leaving behind another protective layer for your teeth. Also, it removes any plaque that has built up on your teeth overnight.
What Are the Cons of Brushing Before Coffee?
Brushing your teeth before drinking your coffee may not be the most flavor-friendly option available. Minty toothpaste generally doesn’t go together well with coffee, orange juice, or many other breakfast choices.
It may already be a part of your regular routine to drink coffee before brushing your teeth. So making this change could disrupt your morning flow. Routines can be very important for some people, and if you have a solid dental hygiene routine, you may not want to alter it.
What Are the Pros of Brushing After Coffee?
For many people, their standard routine is to eat or drink their meals before they brush their teeth. It helps to have a solid routine. If you brush your teeth after you drink coffee, you can be certain to avoid coffee breath.
What Are the Cons of Brushing After Coffee?
A drawback to brushing your teeth after you drink coffee is that you could be spreading sugar and acid around your teeth. It may seem counterintuitive to wait to brush your teeth after eating or drinking. But you could be damaging the enamel on your teeth, especially if what you are consuming is acidic, like coffee.
Acid will weaken your enamel, which can increase your chances of cavities or tooth decay, so you should wait 30-60 minutes before brushing your teeth after eating or drinking. If you don’t brush your teeth before drinking coffee, the coffee can bind to the plaque that is on your teeth. You may also want to consider dental fillings to treat the cavity and help preserve your tooth.
This can make its effects worse, so it is likely to stain more or wear away your enamel faster. If you want to brush your teeth before drinking coffee but are worried about your breath, you can swish water around your mouth to rinse, or you can chew gum.