Flossing: One Simple Habit That Made My Morning Coffee Even Better

As I sit here, staring at the blank document, contemplating on how to proceed with my
tasks, all I could think is I need coffee to start my day. If you like me are one of the
billions who identify themselves with “if it weren't for the coffee, I'd have no identifiable
personality whatsoever”, your dental health is in for bad news.

Why? Coffee contains tannins that cause colour compounds to stick to your teeth
leaving dull yellowish stains behind. Also like any other drink that isn’t water, coffee
causes bacteria to grow leading to enamel erosion. As much as I love coffee, I would
hate to compromise my pearly smile. Wouldn’t you? So after a lot of trials and errors
and just one little change in my daily routine, I have finally found the solution without
having to give up my morning cup of coffee.

The Solution: Flossing

When the revelation hit me, I started by replacing my regular tooth paste with dentist
approved teeth whitening tooth pastes and stripes on regular basis. This helped a bit.
But the one thing that truly made an impact was flossing. I started flossing every; some
days even after a particularly strong cup of black coffee.

However the one problem that I had with string flosser is how cumbersome it is to clean
the molars especially the extreme corners. How do you reach there without some
unusual hand movements? Not to mentions the bleeding caused due to increased
pressure. So I researched and with recommendations and reviews from users and
approval of my dentist started using a water flosser. I have to admit, what an
improvement it has been to the string flosser. It is easier to use, reaches farthest corners
without any problem and much gentler on the gums. Though it is difficult to carry, there
are some good portable flossers in the market. The one I use is Oracura Wireless Water
Flosser. It is bulkier than compact string flossers but completely worth the effort. Oracura
is the one I would recommend but you may try other brands as well.

Other Ways

Of course there are many other ways you can try to reduce coffee stains. For a start, by
cutting off the number of coffee breaks. Your employer particularly would be much
happier. However, if that’s not an option try drinking a glass of water right after your
cup to rinse off the residual coffee.

For a while I had also tried mouth wash like Listerine, which worked. Even eating raw
fruits and vegetable that contain natural fibre keep teeth clean by breaking down
bacteria.
Regular dentist appointments, oil pulling, baking soda treatment, etc. There are many
things one can do to maintain good dental health but the one thing it all drills down is
‘habit’. Making just a simple change in your daily routine, inculcating a new habit
makes all the difference. It certainly did for me. Remember, it’s better latte than never.
;)