Are Pumpkin Spice Lattes Bad for Your Teeth?

As autumn approaches, hot drinks like pumpkin spice lattes become more and more popular. We want to combat the colder weather with warm drinks. Unfortunately, this isn’t the healthiest decision for your pearly whites. Keep reading to learn how hot drinks are bad for your teeth, and what you can do to lessen the damage.

How Are Hot Drinks Bad for My Teeth?

There are three main ways that hot drinks can hurt your teeth:

• Tooth decay: Plain black coffee by itself isn’t actually all that bad in terms of causing cavities or gum disease. Of course, that changes the moment you add any sugar into the mix. Adding sugar to coffee increases the beverage’s stickiness, meaning it stays attached to your teeth for longer. This gives harmful bacteria in your mouth plenty of time to wreak their havoc on your tooth enamel.
• Sensitivity: Coffee is an acidic beverage. That means it can, over time, wear down the enamel, or the outer layer of your teeth. When the enamel is weakened, it exposes the tubules in your teeth that are connected to your sensitive nerves. This causes a jolt of pain when you consume something hot or cold.
• Staining: Unfortunately, coffee is well-known for its ability to stain your teeth. These stains are particularly resistant to brushing, even if you brush immediately after consuming this beverage.

How Can I Prevent Damage to My Teeth?

The best way to minimize damage to your pearly whites is to sip your coffee through a straw. It sounds weird, especially if it’s hot coffee instead of its iced counterpart, but your teeth will thank you. When you drink through a straw, the beverage zips right past your teeth. It doesn’t even have a chance to cause stains.

Another way to lessen damage is to always keep some water on hand. Drink water after consuming coffee, whether hot or iced. Water can help wash away leftover particles that could not only stain your teeth, but cause tooth decay and gum disease.

With fall right on the horizon, it can be tempting to go a bit overboard with hot drinks like pumpkin spice lattes. However, by following the tips described earlier, you can save your pearly whites some trouble.

About the Author

Dr. Ukti Phadnis obtained her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Connecticut. Now she practices at West Hartford Dental Group in West Hartford, CT. She strives to create a warm and comforting patient environment and educate her patients on their treatment, so they know exactly what’s happening every step of the way. If you’re looking for teeth whitening to counteract your autumn coffee consumption, you can contact Dr. Phadnis at (860)-606-3953.