Drinking coffee or kombucha. Eating foods with onions, garlic, horseradish, or curry. What do all these items have in common? While some people may love or hate them, there’s no debate about the fact they all do a number on your breath. One at a time – in this blog post, your dentist in Painesville explains what causes coffee breath, as well as how to get rid of it and even avoid it.
Why Does Coffee Impact Your Breath?
When the beans are roasted, sulfur-containing aroma compounds form. Along with the acid content in coffee, these compounds can produce bad breath. The beverage also causes dry mouth which can worsen bad breath. Coffee-induced dry mouth is produced in part by caffeine, which is slightly dehydrating.
Tannins, a molecule found in coffee, are another culprit that makes your mouth feel parched. In your mouth, tannins bind to your proteins in saliva, inhibiting its production. When bacteria remain in your mouth, they proliferate and release volatile sulfur compounds, a root cause of bad breath.
Tips to Ditch Coffee Breath
For whatever reason, maybe stopping your coffee consumption is not an option. Check out these suggestions to ditch coffee breath:
- Brush your teeth right after drinking coffee
- Brush with a toothpaste that contains zinc or clove oil
- Keep sugar-free breath mints handy
- Chew sugarless gum
- Gargle with mouthwash after drinking coffee
- Chew on fresh parsley
- Drink a large glass of water
How Do You Avoid Coffee Breath in the First Place?
Besides not having coffee at all, drinking it black is better for your breath as opposed to using a lot of add-ins. Don’t add milk or sugar. If you must add flavoring, try stirring your coffee with a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean.
Sugar substitutes may be an option as well. Skim milk contains more sugar than whole milk or half and half, so they are the lesser of evils if you must call upon dairy.
What Are Coffee Alternatives?
If you are open to pivoting away from coffee while still putting pep in your step, fortunately, you have some options:
- High-caffeine black tea or chai tea
- Caffeine-free chicory root coffee
- Yerba mate (caffeinated herbal tea)
The sulfuric and acidic compounds in coffee, as well as the tannins, are the reasons it is taking a toll on your breath. Whether you step up your oral hygiene habits or switch to a different beverage, it’s just a matter of finding the options that work best for your daily routine.
About the Practice
At Painesville Dental Group, we have four dentists ready to collaborate to provide you with top-tier treatments. We can help you maximize your dental insurance benefits, or we offer an affordable in-house dental plan. Our office is open six days a week for your convenience. As you read, there are options to combat coffee breath, but be sure not to forget to schedule your biannual checkups and cleanings along the way as well. Book an appointment on our website or by calling (440) 354-2183.