Did you know that there’s a right way and a wrong way to drink your coffee? A lot of us are coffee drinkers these days, and while we may know just how we like our order from Starbucks, we may not all understand the best methods for drinking coffee and how drinking coffee in a certain way can affect us.
It’s fairly common to see people drinking cold coffee beverages with a straw. That’s just how you drink something that has a lot of cream on top so that you don’t end up with that cream on your face. But it’s actually wise to drink coffee with a straw when it’s hot as well. Let’s talk about why that is.
Why Drinking Coffee with a Straw Is Best
There’s a very simple reason why a lot of people will tell you that you ought to be drinking your coffee with a straw rather than sipping it straight from the cup.
Why should you drink coffee with a straw? It’s because coffee can stain your teeth. If you’re using a straw, you may be able to avoid getting coffee on your teeth at all, allowing it to go straight down your throat.
That’s going to save you a lot of problems later on, if you’re a regular coffee drinker.
Someone who drinks coffee several times a day and does that for years will likely have stained teeth before too long.
Coffee can turn your teeth slightly brown, especially If you’re drinking it frequently over long periods of time.
Coffee that settles into your teeth and gum line can also give you coffee breath. People who aren’t coffee drinkers might not appreciate that they are constantly smelling coffee on your breath. If you want to keep your mouth smelling fresher for longer, then you should be drinking your coffee with a straw instead of drinking it directly from the cup.
If you have sensitive teeth or gums, like a lot of people do, it’s a good idea to get the coffee you’re drinking to bypass them entirely. Are you someone who has to use special toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth? You ought to be using a straw with your coffee, as that will protect your teeth and keep them from feeling quite so sensitive.
Sensitive teeth are something that a lot of people suffer with these days, and even if you’re not sure that you have this condition, you may want to use a straw with your coffee just to be on the safe side.
How to Drink Hot Coffee with a Straw
Maybe you’re not sure what the best way is to drink your coffee when you’re using a straw. If you have questions how to drink coffee with a straw so that you protect your teeth and your health, then we have some answers for you.
You should try to position the straw between your teeth rather than between your lips. Holding the straw with your teeth allows the coffee to pass through your teeth without touching them. Coffee can go through the straw and come out on the back of your teeth and straight down your throat. That means it never has to come in contact with your teeth, preserving sensitive teeth and keeping them from being stained.
You also want to drink your coffee in a short period of time rather than sipping it over an hour or so. You might think that this is to ensure you’re drinking the coffee before it reaches room temperature, but the truth is that sipping the coffee over a long period of time will cause more damage and staining to your teeth.
Once you’re done drinking your coffee, you should try to brush your teeth. This will prevent your teeth from staining, and you could drink coffee for as many years as you like without getting any stains, if you follow this one step.
If you can’t brush your teeth, at least rinse your mouth out with water to help wash any residual coffee off your teeth. This also helps to give you fresher smelling breath.
Why Is It Hotter to Drink Coffee with a Straw?
Some people may struggle with drinking hot coffee through a straw at first. They’ll find that the coffee it feels hotter in their mouth, and it may burn their throat more than it would if they were drinking it without straw.
Why is that? It’s because if you pass the coffee over your lips and tongue and through your mouth by sipping it without a straw, you’re spreading it out across a larger surface. This allows the temperature to decrease a little, making the coffee not taste as hot.
If you are having problems drinking hot coffee through a straw, you may want to let it cool down a little bit.
Otherwise, you may want to try smaller sips, but you will build up some resistance to the heat of that coffee over time. You can also try swishing the coffee around in your mouth before swallowing it or placing the straw between your lips rather than between your teeth to let the coffee pass over more surface area before it reaches your throat.
Do I Need to Use a Straw when Drinking Coffee with Veneers?
Veneers can brighten and beautify your mouth, giving you a radiant smile. However, you have to be careful that you take really good care of them. Coffee can damage veneers very easily, so you want to drink your coffee through a straw rather than directly from the cup once you have the veneers put in.
If you want to protect your investment and keep your smile looking white and bright, always use a straw when drinking coffee. Coffee can damage the bonding agent that attaches the veneer to your teeth, and excessive coffee drinking without using a straw can make the veneers fall out or loosen. Keep that in mind when you’re drinking other beverages that could stain your teeth, like tea and soda.
I’m Jennifer a beauty and wellness expert. I believe in promoting a sustainable and healthy lifestyle from within. Helping people feel good is my passion; whether it’s teaching yoga or offering skincare advice.
