I know that the winter is slowly coming to and end, but that means for many people that spring dinks and fun times are coming.  Many times this means that Starbucks is launching a new campaign for summer tea’s and fruity drinks.  It also means that most of us are going to give in and drink lots of those summer drinks that we so love.  There is really only one problem with that and it is the dental costs that stack up due to the love for spring and summer drinks.  Today I want to go over some of the things to know about those awesome summer drinks and what they are doing to your teeth.  And maybe a good tip to know on how to avoid all the dental visits that may be incurred after indulging in all the good drinks a little too much.

The issue when enjoying these specialty beverages is that you may end up doing double the damage to your teeth. What do I mean by that? Well, a good majority of those awesome tasty drinks at Starbucks are actually coffee-based.  That means that you are now not only drinking a very sweet and sugary drink but also one that has coffee in it.  The big issue that comes up with this is the tooth decay that can occur with sugary and coffee-based drinks.  It comes down to the acidity in the coffee and also the sugar in the drink.  When tooth enamel is gone at some point you cannot replace it.  Keep that in mind when you are downing these drinks at a hi rate. 

Be careful not to drink too many of these drinks and try to brush your teeth after getting the acid and sugar off your teeth.  If you don’t the extra wear on your tooth enamel will start to cause sensitivity and create those wholes and cavities in your teeth.  That is definitely not a fun thing to deal with and not worth the joy that a pumpkin spice latte can bring.  So be careful with those Summer drinks because they can do so much damage..  

Keep in mind that one area that people pick up on in the Summer is simply drinking more cool beverages.  This is something that I do, but be careful because coffee tends to be the main drink that people add to their Summer diet.  There really is nothing wrong with coffee, but in large quantities or multiple cups each day it can quickly erode your teeth.  Not only will it cause tooth decay to occur faster, but your teeth will undoubtedly get more yellow and brow.  The staining that happens when the coffee acid eats away at your teeth and then the brown color of it attaches to your enamel is inevitable.  So make sure to be careful on how many cups of coffee you are drinking each day.  It may be costly on your wallet and your dentist’s bill to fill some tooth holes and no one wants to go through with that at all.

We all know the best way to help our teeth is to stop drinking these things.  That one is obvious, but you can also cut back on the amount of contact your teeth have with these substances.  I know plastic straws are unpopular but metal ones are still good for the environment.  Maybe think about using a straw as an alternative.

Have you started to notice a certain annoyance when you put on your facemask to go to the store?  Well, most likely you have if you are living in 2020 and in the United States.  The regulations put in place by our states due to the COVID-19 Pandemic have changed a lot of ways we do things and it has put most of us on notice that our dental health may not be as good as we once thought.  In fact, most people are starting to feel like they have some major dental issues and are starting to visit their dentists more this year than any other.  Many of their problems are not halitosis and the major reason they are smelling bad breath is that they are probably just not brushing enough or doing it the correct way.  Wel all know what we are supposed to do but the truth is that most Americans fall very short of the actual amount of brushing we are supposed to do.  So today I want to go over just the basics of dental healthcare so we can all succeed this 2020 and have better-smelling facemasks.

The first thing we all need to do is make an honest assessment of our dental health.  If we are keeping up with the national standards then that is great.  Then we can go from the basics and maybe add a few things into our daily routine to step up our game even more.  Then we can start to rock even more preventative dental health and hopefully lower our need for dental procedures in the future.  But on the other hand, if we are not doing a good job on a daily basis then we need to probably start small and work out way up.  That means honestly take an account of each time you brushed your teeth last week and how you actually did it.  The vast majority of Americans are once a day brushers and for only thirty seconds or so.  If this is you or you brush even less then it is most likely the main issue for your bad-smelling breath.

Before we go on, if you are in this boat you need to make an appointment with your dentist.  The truth is you may have halitosis or even other dental issues that you need to check on to make sure your health is taken care of. There is no point in guessing when it comes to your health and you should have a doctor go through your mouth and see if you are ok or even to give you a specific plan for your dental health.  That would be the best thing to do and it may even save your life. 

One way or the other it is important to get into a good habit of brushing your teeth at least twice a day.  The American Dental Association says that you should strive to brush twice a day or even three times a day for two minutes brushing.  That allows your mouth to be free of most acids, plaque buildup, and food particles that are eroding your teeth and gums.  So make sure to get into a habit of this first and if you have to set alarms on the phone to do it so be it.  That is the best way to fight the bad smells and get on track!