Are you also a diehard coffee lover like me and cannot skip it even for a day?
And have you recently have got braces around your teeth?
If yes, then this article is going to be very important for the health of your teeth.
In this article, I am going to actually discuss if you can enjoy your favorite cup of coffee in the day while having braces on your teeth.
First, let me tell you what braces are if you are not familiar with the term.
In simple words, braces are dental tools that help to cure different issues associated with your teeth.
These problems include teeth crowding, crooked teeth, teeth out of alignment, tooth staining, temporary speech difficulties, and many more.
If you have had braces on your teeth recently, your orthodontist might have suggested you not to consume any drinks and beverages including alcohol, coffee, wine, and other things.
If you consume these hot and cold drinks while having braces on your teeth, you may have several gum and teeth issues.
These issues include staining, tooth pain, discoloration, and so on.
The regular coffee and tea consumption can also affect the parts of your braces such as bands and brackets.
So, I highly recommend to avoid drinking coffee and other hot or cold beverages when you have braces on your teeth.
Now comes the main question and that is if you can drink iced coffee with braces or not.
I know it is very hard for regular coffee drinkers to stop consuming coffee even for a day.
Well, the good news is you can still consume iced coffee while having braces.
The trick is you have to use straw to drink your iced coffee.
That will help you prevent staining of your teeth.
Cold coffee is prepared through cold brewing process.
This process relies on time to transfer coffee flavorings to the beverage, unlike hot brewing.
A mug of cold dripped coffee contains quite less polyphenol as compared to the hot coffee.
Also, it has up to 70% fewer acids present in it.
The reality is both iced coffee and hot coffee causes stains on your teeth if you are having your braces on.
However, cold coffee causes lesser amount of stains because of the lower presence of polyphenols.
If you want to have iced coffee while having braces, I recommend using a simple straw to avoid staining.
Also, make sure that you clean your teeth every single time after drinking iced coffee.
As per your orthodontist’s suggestion, clean and rinse your teeth with mouthwash or pure water at least twice a day to avoid further issues.
Now, we will look at the most frequently asked questions regarding this topic.
Table of Contents
- Is Iced Coffee Bad for Your Teeth?
- Is It Healthy for Your Teeth to Drink Iced Coffee with Braces?
- Can I Drink Coffee through a Straw with Braces?
- Can You Drink Starbucks Coffee with Braces?
- What are the Best Drinks to Have with Braces?
Is Iced Coffee Bad for Your Teeth?
As per the opinion of most doctors, dentists, and orthodontists, no coffee is bad for you as long as you are consuming it in moderation.
Drinking any kind of coffee excessively can be harmful for your health.
However, iced coffee or cold coffee does cause less harm and lower stains in comparison to the consumption of hot coffee.
Iced coffee also contains fewer acids and polyphenols that make it better for your stomach as well as for your teeth.
Despite having these benefits, drinking too much iced coffee can also make you feel jittery.
Excessive iced coffee consumption can also lead to the other problems such as anxiety, nervousness, and headache.
So, as long as you are enjoying your iced coffee in a limited quantity every day, it will be good for your health and will not cause any of the above mentioned issues.
Is It Healthy for Your Teeth to Drink Iced Coffee with Braces?
I would say “No”.
If you can skip your coffee while having braces, you should do it always.
Well, most doctors and I also highly recommend you to avoid drinking too hot and too cold beverages such as red wine, coffee, alcohol, and so on while you are having braces on your teeth.
Consuming these items may cause several issues to your teeth and braces that include discoloration of your teeth, staining between your teeth and braces, and tooth pain.
However, if you just cannot resist having a cup of coffee in a day, it would be better to consume iced coffee rather than having hot coffee.
As we have mentioned earlier, cold coffee contains fewer acids and polyphenol elements.
They cause less staining and discoloration of the teeth.
To avoid the maximum damage effect of iced coffee, you must clean and rinse your teeth with a pure water or a mouthwash every time after drinking a cold coffee.
Also, you can use straws to drink your favorite iced coffee for minimum staining on your teeth.
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Can I Drink Coffee through a Straw with Braces?
Yes, it is always suggested to use a straw to drink coffee while you have braces on your teeth.
Drinking your favorite cold coffee through a straw helps to reduce the staining of your teeth.
When you use a straw to drink iced coffee, the coffee particles will not touch your teeth.
This simple trick will prevent teeth staining and damage to the parts of your braces such as bands and brackets.
Can You Drink Starbucks Coffee with Braces?
I would say you may drink it sometimes but not on a regular basis.
And you should use a straw to drink any type of Starbucks coffee while you have braces.
It has been revealed by experts that coffee drinks provided by Starbucks contain quite a high amount of sugar.
Drinking coffee that contains too much cream, milk and sugar is not at all healthy for your teeth, especially when you are having braces on your teeth.
The Cinnamon Frapp drink of Starbucks usually contains around 102 grams of sugar, which seems to be quite higher than the usual.
These hot and cold drinks that are loaded with high sugar and cream, when consumed in a large quantity, can also cause discoloration and staining to your teeth to a great extent.
If you can, I would suggest you to skip having Starbucks coffee while you have braces on your teeth.
However, if you cannot just resist, always use straws to consume it.
But you need to always clean and rinse your teeth after drinking every cup of coffee.
Also, after the braces are removed, you may visit dental care for teeth whitening if you see any stains or yellowness on your teeth.
What are the Best Drinks to Have with Braces?
I would say avoid too much hot and cold beverages such as coffee, tea, soda, soft drinks, etc.
And start consuming more pure water, herbal tea and pure milk without any sugar.
Well, there is no need to be on a strict diet while having braces on your teeth.
There are some drinks and beverages that you can enjoy with braces on your teeth.
When you get braces on your teeth, your orthodontist is not going to instruct you to avoid just everything.
You can have your normal diet as always, except the dark drinks and beverages that can stain or discolor your teeth.
Below, we have mentioned some drinks that you can have with braces.
These food items do not cause any staining or discoloration to your teeth and they are also a good choice for your health.
1. Milk Without Sugar
Milk is a great source of calcium and also helps in strengthening your bones.
It is safe and healthy to consume milk when you have braces on your teeth.
Only thing you need to take care is do not add any extra sugar in your daily milk glass.
Milk doesn’t leave any stains on your teeth or between brace brackets.
It also doesn’t cause any discoloration to your teeth.
However, milk does contain natural sugar.
Therefore, you need to make sure to have proper brushing after milk consumption to avoid tooth decay.
2. Green and Herbal Teas
Green and herbal teas do not leave any stains between your brace brackets and teeth, unlike black tea or coffee.
Also, they are quite beneficial for your oral health.
Tea contains polyphenols that are proven to fight bacteria present in your mouth and eliminate any dental issues.
While having braces, consuming green and herbal tea is both healthy and beneficial.
3. Filtered Water
Obviously, one cannot skip drinking water.
Drinking water every day is extremely important while having your braces.
You need to drink at least 2-3 litres of water every day to keep your teeth and braces clean from bacteria.
However, it is important that you consume water at a moderate temperature which should be neither too hot nor too cold.
References:
https://www.manhattanbeachortho.com/manhattan-beach-ca/common-problems-with-braces/
https://www.whitesdental.co.uk/can-i-drink-coffee-with-braces-london/
https://invisalignsupport.com/2020/07/can-you-drink-coffee-with-braces.html
https://thewholeportion.com/can-i-drink-coffee-with-braces/
https://charlottesorthodontist.com/staying-safe-8-common-problems-with-braces-to-watch-out-for/
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/braces-and-retainers#1
https://thegatewayonline.ca/2020/03/point-counterpoint-iced-vs-hot-coffee/