How Straws Can Help The Health Of Your Teeth
If you're looking for ways to better care for your teeth, you may not think that using straws will make much of a difference. However, there are many ways that the benefit your oral health that you may not have thought of. Here is what you need to know about using straws more often and how it relates to your teeth.
Prevent Discoloration and Stains
When drinking from a glass the normal way, all of those liquids will wash over your teeth before you swallow them. If there are dark liquids, there is a risk of your teeth becoming stained over time. If you have a habit of drinking soda or even coffee, it can cause discoloration over the years. Switching to a straw will cause the liquids to avoid the front surface of your teeth, which severely limit the chance of them becoming discolored.
Prevent Ice Chewing
One way that you can damage your teeth is by chewing on ice, since it puts a lot of pressure on your teeth and can even cause teeth to become chipped. You may even do it out of habit while drinking as the ice slides to the top of the glass when you tilt it backwards. If you use a straw, there is less of a chance that you'll behave in this manner, because the ice isn't easily within reach. It can help you break that ice chewing habit if you have been doing it for years.
Reduced Sensitivity
When you have teeth that tend to be extremely sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, you may find that your teeth become sensitive when the beverage touches them. If the sensation is particularly unpleasant, it may even discourage you from drinking cold ice water due to how uncomfortable it is. Thankfully, straws can help prevent liquids from touching those sensitive teeth, which make it easier to drink the beverages that you enjoy.
Reduced Exposure To Acid And Sugar
Drinking any type of soda is going to expose your teeth to acids, which are not good for the protective layer of enamel on them. Over time, you may notice that your teeth enamel become weaker and leads to previously mentioned problems, such as sensitivity and discoloration. If you use straws more often for drinking, your teeth will be exposed less to the acids found in sodas that tend to cause a lot of damage. If you drink regular soda, straws can also prevent the sugar from touching your teeth.
Talk to your dentist for more information.
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