WOKE AND WHITEN

Your caffeine addiction could be the reason your teeth are turning yellow !!!!

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. That's your 7 am alarm ringing AGAIN. Thinking about how your 8 am is in Campbell Hall (alllll the way over there) is already making you exhausted. So, what is the first thing you do when you get out of bed?

Brush your teeth or make a cup of coffee?

WHAT ABOUT ICED TEA-TH?

If you're not a coffee person, you must be a tea person. Right? The second you walk on the UCSB campus, you'll see at least 3 cans of Yerba Mate being consumed. Whether it's for an 8am, a study session, or an all nighter, Yerba is our go-to.

So now you're thinking, if coffee makes my teeth yellow then I'll just switch to tea. Unfortunately, like alcohol, Yerba Mate can lead to tooth decay and cavities due to the high levels of added sugar, and on top of that it can stain your teeth too.

Oh. You don't want yellow teeth? Well, lucky you there are many ways to prevent it.

THE TOOTH BEHIND TANNINS

All of our favorite drinks-coffee, wine, beer, and tea-contain tannins. Tannins are a naturally occurring organic substance found in plants. They cause the bitter flavor and dark color in teas and wines and they can turn your teeth yellow when they build up on your enamel.

You don't need to channel your inner organic chemist to understand the effects of tannins on your teeth. Tannins are acidic compounds. Acids break down the enamel of your teeth. Pigments and dyes in coffee and tea stick to the weakened enamel, which leaves a behind the yellow hue we are all familiar with.

It only takes one cup of coffee a day to stain teeth, and most of us (including myself) are drinking multiple cups a day to stay awake!

Tip: Be prepared by bringing disposable toothbrushes when you know you're going to be drinking a whole lot of coffee and Yerba to pull an all nighter in the Lib

Tannins cause extrinsic stains, staining on only the surface of the teeth. Without proper care extrinsic stains can accumulate within the enamel and turn into intrinsic stains.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT STAINING AND DISCOLORATION

1. EAT VEGGIES AND FRUITS before you sip coffee or tea because they coat your teeth with a protective film that can prevent staining

2. HYDRATE after you sip coffee or tea to wash down excess tannins and stimulate saliva to neutralize acids

3. BRUSH YOUR TEETH daily to prevent the tannins from building up on your enamel

4. GET SOME SLEEP so you don't have to resort to caffeine to feel alive, drinking coffee and tea less will decrease the amount of tannins available to build up

Extrinsic stains can easily be treated with proper daily care but once they develop into intrinsic stains, professional cleaning may be required. So, if you make the effort to follow these steps, you'll have those pearly whites in no time!

Tip: Use a (re-useable) straw to prevent direct contact with your teeth!

SAY CHEESE!

I don't want teeth as yellow as cheddar cheese and I doubt you do either. Yellow teeth can cause embarrassment and makes you self conscious. But, as you age your teeth do too and naturally yellow over time.

While some discoloration is normal, actually yellow or brown teeth isn't. So, take my advice on the many ways to prevent staining your teeth.

Yes, you can grab another cup of coffee from the Arbor! Yes, you can drink another Yerba!

Just as long as you make the effort to take care of your teeth everyday!

Sources:

Does Coffee Stain Your Teeth?

How to Prevent Food and Drink From Staining Teeth

Tannins in Tea

Tannins: fascinating but sometimes dangerous molecules

Tea and Coffee Teeth Stains: How to Remove Them

Teeth Stains: Causes, Types, and How to Remove Teeth Stains

#caffeine #tannins #staining #dentalcare

DTF = Down to floss?

We all love a good Tinder horror story, but how many of them end with dental care advice?

Tinder @ UCSB

UCSB has a thriving hookup culture, from friends with benefits to one night stands, we have it all. Tinder makes it so easy to be a part of this culture. "Match. Chat. Date." is what they claim. But is it that easy?

The match part is hard enough. Chat is more like rejecting extremely inappropriate comments. Date? Do those ever end well? I can't say my Tinder experience has been successful, but I did gain one thing from Tinder, a story and a lesson for you all. We all have a Tinder horror story. Right?

A BOY WITH BAD BREATH

My Tinder horror story involves a cute boy with bad breath. We matched and started chatting for hours at a time. A week went by and he finally asked to meet up for lunch. I suggested Hana Kitchen (a public location, just in case he was one of those Tinder murderers, always be safe than sorry).

Well, there I was sitting in front of Hana and he walks up. I was relieved he actually looked like his Tinder photos. He isn't a catfish and he isn't going to murder me (I think), but of course this situation was just too good to be true.

I introduced myself and when opened his mouth to say his "it's nice to finally meet you", I smelled it - HIS BREATH. I forced a smile as we got in line to order. He ordered a chicken bowl, no vegetables. I ordered a chicken bowl and a strawberry tea with boba. As he paid, I saw the face on the cashier, she also smelled his breath. We grabbed our food and sat outside. I didn't talk much because I was holding my breath most of the time. Once in a while, gust of wind would blow the smell away.

At the end of our meal, we parted ways and promised to text each other. I had my fingers crossed. Sadly, it could have been a great date if he would have just brushed his teeth beforehand...

What causes bad breath?

Halitosis, also known as bad breath, is caused by poor dental hygiene, dry mouth, and bacteria build up.

"Bacteria produces volatile compounds that smell unpleasant, including hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulphide." -Dr Nao Suzuki from Fukuoka Dental College in Fukuoka

When you don't take the time to properly clean your teeth, such as brush and floss, food particles get left behind and this causes plaque, a film of bacteria, to grow and coat your teeth! If this plaque isn't brushed away, it can affect your gums, in between your teeth, and your tongue. It plaque isn't taken care of it can even lead to periodontal disease, a serious gum infection that damages gums and can destroy the jawbone.

Why does our breath smell in the mornings? Dry mouth. Saliva actually prevents bad breath by neutralizing acids produced by plaque, and wash away dead cells that accumulate on the tongue, gums, and cheeks. Antibacterial mouthwash also helps kill bacteria and freshen your breath. Chewing gum can stimulate more saliva flow, and therefore freshen breath. There are a lot of things that can cause dry mouth, such as sleeping with your mouth open, smoking, dry foods, and hot weather.

Tip: Gum and mouthwash are only temporary solutions for bad breath.

More serious conditions that can cause bad breath are stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal diseases, and stomach cancer.

how you can prevent bad breath

Halitosis is a very common condition and there are so many ways to prevent it.

1. HYDRATE

2. BRUSH YOUR TEETH

3. SCRAPE YOUR TONGUE

4. FLOSS

5. SMOKE LESS

If you try to complete these steps everyday, you'll always have fresh breath. Just brushing your teeth isn't enough to prevent bad breath. A combination of these will be your best bet.

BAD BREATH IS A DEAL BREAKER

Is it just me? Or is bad breath a deal breaker for you too? Bad breath ruins everything. I'm so focused on holding my breath that I'm not paying attention to the words they say.

Bad breath causes embarrassment and makes around you uncomfortable. You don't want that do you? Take my advice on how to prevent bad breath. Bad breath isn't going to kill you, but it indicates bad hygiene. Preventing bad breath will make you more confident and it will improve the health of your mouth!

Just remember, the next time you go on a date, focus a little more on cleaning your teeth rather than practicing pick up lines.

Sources:

17 Reasons Why Your Breath Smells Bad

Bad Breath Linked To Bacteria That Cause Stomach Ulcer And Cancer

Examination, Classification, and Treatment of Halitosis; Clinical Perspectives

Haltosis

#tinderhorrorstories #dentalcare #badbreath

TEQUILA TOOTHSDAY

It’s Sunday morning. You passed out last night without brushing your teeth. Flossing hasn’t crossed your mind for weeks. You rolled out of bed at noon and now you’re in line at Cajé ordering an iced vanilla latte to wash out the taste of Vitali in the back of your throat.

You think, what could be worse than this?

What's worse than a hangover?

When you're at frat party on DP, soaking in the sun at a Dayger, or playing beer die, you're not thinking about the consequences. No, I'm not referring to waking up hungover. Alcohol can cause some major hangovers, but even worse it can cause staining, bad breath, cavities, and tooth decay.

If you are chasing vodka with dark sodas, your teeth are at risk to stains. Alcohol is super acidic, which weakens the enamel, the outer layer of your teeth. The chromogens, types of dye used in all types of drinks, can readily attach to the weakened enamel. Beer and wine are acidic and will stain your teeth too.

Tip: Red wine kills oral bacteria called streptococci, which are associated with tooth decay (but it can still stain your teeth)

You know those booths they have out on DP giving out free water? I ALWAYS grab the free water. They're there to help you! "Stay hydrated" is a common term thrown around when you're out drinking. Not only does this help your toxicity levels, it helps your saliva flow. Alcohol dries out your mouth, which can lead to bad breath and tooth decay. Saliva prevents plaque build up, bacteria growth in your mouth, and can help neutralize the acids from the alcohol.

I talked about how saliva can prevent bad breath in a separate post. Read more about how saliva helps your teeth here.

STOP MAKING POUR DECISIONS!

Alcohol also has high sugar content. Those 4Lokos we drink contain 60g of sugar in each can (I know some of you can drink multiple in a night). According to the American Heart Association, the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day is 25g. Not only does an excessive amount of sugar affect your health, it affects your teeth.

Bacteria living in your mouth produces an acid that attacks the enamel, the outer layer of your teeth, and eventually decalcifying and destroying the tooth. This bacteria actually feeds off the sugars you eat. So basically, by drinking sugary alcohol, you're helping out those bacterium.

Without proper cleaning and care, the bacteria can cause cavities, decayed areas that develop into permanent holes. These holes can trap more sugar and breed more bacteria, leading to serious diseases.

The acid can continue to attack the enamel, into the dentine and into the pulp where it can reach and infect the nerves and create an abscess, a pocket of pus. This is why your tooth aches when you have a cavity!

u CAN START BRUSHING

Instead of "U Can Study Buzzed", UCSB should stand for "U Can Start Brushing" because most harm to your teeth can be prevented by simply brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily!

Do not (and I can't stress this enough) brush your teeth with a bottle of jack.

If you take good care of your teeth every day (including Tequila Tuesdays, Wine Wednesdays, and Thirsty Thursdays) there is no reason to give up alcohol. Enjoy your drinks any day of the week, but of course prioritize taking care of your teeth!

#Alcohol #Sugar #Coffee #EffectsonTeeth #DentalCare

Sources:

Daily Intake of Sugar — How Much Sugar Should You Eat Per Day?

Sugar and Dental Decay

What Are The Effects Of Sugar On Teeth?

What Does Alcohol Do to Your Teeth?