It comes as no to surprise to anyone that
coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in America, sitting right there
next to soda, water, and beer. Unfortunately, most of the coffee people consume
falls into the category of “unhealthy” right there next to soda and beer (well,
domestic light beer). Water is truly the only good thing in that category.
That is, unless you drink your coffee black.
The biggest reason coffee isn’t great for you
is the added sugars. Not enough people try to enjoy their coffee without
additives simply because it’s harder to get into and develop a palate for. It’s
not that surprising, though, considering wine and beer and other alcohol is
very similar: drinking it as it is takes a lot of time and attempts before you
learn to enjoy it, understand the nuances, and branch out.
Well, coffee’s the same in that drinking it
black is quite bitter and harsh on the tongue when first trying it. So what do
most people do? They add cream or sugar or get it at Starbucks in the form of
some latte or macchiato.
So how do these sorts of coffee affect your
teeth for the worst?
For starters, all that extra sugar is
extremely harmful to your teeth if you don’t rinse it off after finishing your
coffee or brushing your teeth. The sugars are able to sit on your teeth and
start the process of decay if not taken care of properly. And since coffee
already has tannins in it that can stain your teeth, the chances of sugar
coating your teeth are even higher already. So, not only are these glorified
coffees bad for your teeth because of the sugar; they can also stain your teeth
if you drink a few cups a day.
But I’m not here to decry coffee as some sort
of bad drink. It really isn’t, so long as you consume the unhealthier varians
in moderation. I would advise looking into drinking your coffee straight as it
is not only for the health of your teeth but also for learning more about
different strains of coffee and truly enjoying the drink to its fullest
potential.
Like most other things, however, the majority
of people want things spoon fed to them in a way that can be enjoyed
immediately. Few go out of their way to try something as it really is, and
that’s the way of the world I probably won’t ever be able to change.
