How can you say no to an ice cold, sugary and bubbly drink on a hot summer’s day? It is quite impossible. However, drinking too many sugary or acidic drinks can be damaging to your tooth enamel. One way to help protect your teeth while enjoying a refreshing beverage is by using drinking straws. Drinking straws actually help protect your teeth in more ways than you might have thought.
These sugary drinks are the number one enemy when it comes to dental erosion or stained teeth. When tooth enamel begins to erode it allows harmful bacteria to attack the tooth, which can cause cavities. With all of the different types of drinks and foods, it’s hard to avoid staining your teeth. Many drinks such as tea, coffee, and wine causes tooth discoloration. Here at Rockefeller Cosmetic Dentistry we offer several cosmetic dental services to help keep a clean smile.
Benefits Of Using Drinking Straws
When it comes to your overall health, taking care of your oral hygiene is very important. Consuming sugary and acidic beverages can actually weaken your tooth enamel. The direct contact of the sugar combined with the bacteria in your mouth produces harmful acid, which then attacks your teeth. Teeth with weakened tooth enamel are more susceptible to the stain-causing ingredients in differents beverages. Just by using a drinking straw you are already protecting your teeth.
One of the most beneficial parts about using drinking straws is that they reduce the direct exposure of your teeth to the drink. Think about it, when you drink straight from a cup you are allowing the liquid to pool inside of your mouth, hitting every single tooth. Drinks such as coffee or soda are some of the main culprits that impact the whiteness of your teeth. By using a straw, you are bypassing your front most teeth, therefore, minimizing that direct contact.
Eco-friendly Alternatives To Plastic Straws
Although drinking straws help protect your teeth from staining, keep in mind that plastic straws are harmful to our planet. Our oceans are massive, vibrant bodies of water that serve humanity in many ways. Each year, roughly 8 to 11 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans.
By eliminating the use of plastic straws, it can make it easier to stray away from using other plastic objects as well, such as plastic bags or saran wrap. There are several eco-friendly alternatives to plastic straws. These alternatives include:
- Bamboo straws. This is a durable, lightweight alternative that does not contain any harmful dyes or chemicals. They can be easily washed and ready to use again.
- Paper straws. You may be thinking, “wont a paper straw just soak up my drink?” These are a one-time use straw and are actually durable enough to not break down in a drink and are completely compostable.
- Steel straws. Straws made of steel are extremely durable, easy to clean, and easy to carry around in your bag without having to worry about stains.
- Water bottle or reusable cup with a built-in straw. Using reusable water bottles with built-in straw eliminates the use of any plastic completely, including plastic straws and plastic water bottles.
Eliminating the use of plastic straws can help save our oceans and marine life tremendously. Just by using one of these alternatives you can help our planet!
How Rockefeller Cosmetic Dentistry Can Help!
We all know how refreshing a nice sugary drink can taste, especially during the summer. We can enjoy these drinks, but we need to be aware of the damage they can put on our teeth. Maintaining healthy oral hygiene is essential if you want to enjoy these fruity summer drinks without the consequences. One of the most noticeable consequences is stained teeth, and Rockefeller Cosmetic Dentistry can help!
We offer professional teeth whitening that will have you leaving our office with a brighter, more confident smile. Our teeth whitening technique only requires one office visit. In order to protect your gum from the whitening gel, our dentists will apply a protective layer over them. Once the gum is protected, we apply the whitening gel to your tooth enamel that brightens your smile in about one hour.
We also offer the option of at-home bleaching. With this option, impressions of the mouth need to be taken in order for our specialists to custom design plastic trays that properly fit your mouth. Once we are assured that the plastic trays fit properly, instructions will be given on how to insert the whitening gel into the plastic trays. You’ll be able to whiten your teeth in the comfort on your own home.
If you would like to brighten your smile, schedule an appointment for a professional teeth whitening and contact us at (212) 581-1091.
