{"id":479,"date":"2017-06-28T11:00:56","date_gmt":"2017-06-28T15:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.skororthodontics.com\/blog\/?p=479"},"modified":"2026-04-28T15:17:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:17:40","slug":"drinking-with-a-straw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skororthodontics.com\/blog\/drinking-with-a-straw\/","title":{"rendered":"Drinking with a Straw to Protect Your Teeth & Braces"},"content":{"rendered":"

Keeping your teeth healthy and white takes a lot of work. From daily brushing and flossing to avoiding foods that can negatively impact your dental health, you take a lot of steps to earn your healthy smile. Especially if you have braces, it\u2019s important to take good care of your mouth to prevent decay and gum disease later in life. One of the easiest ways to protect your teeth? Drinking with a straw!<\/p>\n

It may sound simple\u2026 and it is! Drinking with a straw can offer you a handful of benefits with little to no downside. Read on for more information from Dr. Andy in Parma, OH (just outside of Cleveland) on\u00a0how this simple trick can help you keep your pearly whites.<\/p>\n

Benefits of Drinking Through Straws<\/h2>\n

They\u2019re Good for Sensitive Teeth<\/h3>\n

If you have sensitive teeth, drinks that should be cool and refreshing or hot and relaxing can be intensely painful! Straws can help you avoid the pain by making sure your beverages bypass your teeth and minimize contact. It\u2019s common for teeth to feel sensitive for a short time after your braces are removed, so this can help ease the transition when you complete your orthodontic treatment.<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that if your teeth are sensitive to drinks that aren\u2019t at extreme temperatures, you might have a cavity or other dental health issue that you should get checked out as soon as possible!<\/p>\n

It Helps Prevent Cavities & Reduce Erosion<\/h3>\n

When you drink a sugary drink, the bacteria on your mouth feeds off the sugar and leaves behind an acidic substance. This substance, when not properly cleaned, is what eventually leads to decay and cavities. Acidic drinks like citrus juices or even sugar-free sodas can also have a similar effect that erodes the enamel of your teeth. Drinking through a straw can help prevent this by reducing the volume of these damaging drinks that will contact your teeth.<\/p>\n

Protect Your Teeth from Discoloration<\/h3>\n

Popular drinks like coffee or soda will, over time, stain your teeth to a degree that can be very noticeable. It\u2019s difficult to clean away this discoloration, and while tooth whitening options are available and while tooth whitening is often a viable option, the best solution is prevention.<\/p>\n

When drinking through a straw, the discoloring agents in your favorite drinks bypass touching the front of your teeth, which means they won\u2019t directly be affected. Like we mentioned before, you won\u2019t be able to completely avoid these drinks touching your teeth, but when it comes to preventing discoloration, straws can go a long way towards helping.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that you should try to avoid drinking any beverages that could lead to discoloration while you\u2019re wearing braces. For adults that are wearing braces<\/a>, that means stay away from coffee! While straws help protect your teeth, you\u2019re still better off drinking water!<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll Finish Drinks Faster<\/h3>\n

While this may differ from person to person, it\u2019s largely believed that drinking through a straw causes you to finish your drink quicker. When enjoying healthy drinks like water, it can encourage you to refill your cup more frequently and ultimately drink more water throughout the day. When it comes to drinking sodas that harm your teeth, it can noticeably reduce the amount of time you expose your teeth to any amount of the acidity.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s often mentioned in dental health that the worst thing you can do with a soda is slowly sip at it over a long period of time. It exposes your teeth to damaging acids and sugar for the entire duration, plus about 30 minutes after you finish. When finishing a drink quickly, it allows your mouth to naturally work towards cleaning away any remnants of the acid.<\/p>\n

I Heard Straws Don\u2019t Actually Help<\/h2>\n

It is true that there\u2019s some debate on the effectiveness of straws as a means of combating the damage done by sugary drinks and those that leave stains. The reality is that a straw is certainly no magic fix, but it can<\/em> help if used correctly. Try to use the straw further than just past your lips, otherwise the liquids will end up in the same place as drinking without a straw. When it comes to acidic drinks, minimizing the amount of time and volume that they contact your teeth will help you keep a healthier smile.<\/p>\n

Any time you drink an acidic substance, you\u2019re bound to suffer some effects of the acidity on your teeth or gums. Try to follow up any sugary drink with water to help wash away any remaining sugar or acidity. Also remember not to brush for at least 30 minutes following consumption of a sugary or acidic drink, as your enamel is more vulnerable until it\u2019s washed away.<\/p>\n

Using Invisalign\u00ae? Don\u2019t Rely On Straws to Protect Them!<\/h2>\n

There are some who think that you can use a straw to continue wearing your Invisalign\u00ae braces<\/a> while you drink. It\u2019s not true! Just like when you eat or drink anything else, you need to remove your aligners until after you\u2019ve finished. It\u2019s impossible to ensure that your straw will completely prevent any of your beverage from coming into contact or getting inside your aligner.<\/p>\n

\"Prevent<\/a><\/p>\n

Schedule a Free Consultation<\/h2>\n

Looking for more information on keeping your teeth and braces clean? You can find out how we can help by scheduling a free consultation!\u00a0Contact us online<\/a>\u00a0or call 440-842-8015<\/a><\/p>\n

Make sure you don\u2019t miss our Doc On A Stick contest<\/a>, going on June 1 through August 31! You could win extra Smile Rewards points<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Stay connected with Doctor Andy on Social Media!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Facebook<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Google+<\/a><\/p>\n

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Keeping your teeth healthy and white takes a lot of work. From daily brushing and flossing to avoiding foods that can negatively impact your dental health, you take a lot of steps to earn your healthy smile. Especially if you have braces, it\u2019s important to take good care of your mouth to prevent decay and…