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We all know drinking water is good for your physical health. Hydration is essential for brain function, and dehydration can be fatal. But, can drinking still or sparkling water also be good for your dental health?
Everybody knows that drinking water over fizzy drinks is better for your teeth. Carbonated sodas are often packed full of sugar and as a result, can lead to tooth decay and plaque build up. However, there are other ways that drinking water can benefit your dental health.
People that drink a lot of tea and coffee will know that they both can stain teeth. This can lead to frequent hot beverage consumers having more yellow teeth than they would like.
The thing responsible for causing tooth staining? Tannins. They are found in both tea and coffee and are organic substances found in plants. The more tannins the beverage contains, the more likely it is to stain your teeth with regular consumption. Black tea is the worst for staining teeth – even more so than coffee. So, if you’re concerned about staining your pearly whites, we’d recommend keeping your black tea drinking to a minimum.
According to one dentist, teas may actually have a worse effect on tooth discolouration over time than coffee. “Tooth enamel is naturally porous and can absorb the tannins in tea, leading to unpleasant brown discolouration of your teeth.”
Generally, the more tannins a drink has, the worse it’s staining power. When it comes to tea, black tea will stain more than a green tea, and black coffee will stain more than a milky one.
If you’re not ready to give up your coffee (us neither, we don’t blame you!), there are some things you can do to prevent staining. With tea as well as coffee, make sure you drink a glass of water afterwards and swish it around your mouth. Think of it as rinsing your mouth from the staining tannins found in your drink.
If you’re a big soda drinker, switch to sparkling water. By reducing your daily sugar intake from cutting out fizzy drinks, your dental health will be much better. Sugar ultimately can lead to cavities, tooth erosion and more which you obviously want to avoid!
Use your Billi tap in the office to ensure you are rinsing effectively after coffee or tea to prevent staining, and make sure you are consuming the recommended 5-8 glasses of water a day – not just coffee! For those who have a sweet soda tooth, use your Billi tap to pour a refreshing glass of sparkling water, then add a sugar-free cordial for that sweet taste!