There’s no denying how important coffee is in everyday life. For many people, the day can’t start until they’ve had a big cup of the stuff. As tasty and helpful at energizing you as coffee is, it has an unsavory side effect: coffee breath. If you can’t start your day off without a big cup of joe, read on to learn why coffee breath occurs as well as some tips on how to get rid of it.
Why Does Coffee Impact Your Breath?
So, what exactly is it that makes coffee give you bad breath? Coffee beans are roasted to bring out the aroma and flavor locked inside of them. This roasting process causes sulfur-containing aroma compounds to form. These sulfuric compounds and the acid in coffee can cause bad breath.
Additionally, drinking coffee causes dry mouth. This is due in part to coffee’s caffeine content, which is slightly dehydrating. Since saliva is needed to wash away harmful oral bacteria and food particles, this allows the coffee to stay in your mouth for a long period and cause bad breath.
The tannins in coffee are another cause of bad breath. Tannins are a type of naturally occurring plant compound found in foods and drinks, including tea, coffee, chocolate, and wine. They bind to the proteins in your saliva, which inhibits its production. This allows the bacteria in your mouth to multiply and release volatile sulfur compounds, which cause coffee breath.
5 Tips for Getting Rid of Coffee Breath
Now that you know what causes coffee breath, how can you get rid of it? A few tips that will help you freshen up your breath include:
- Brush your teeth – As soon as you finish drinking coffee, brush your teeth to prevent it from sitting in your mouth for too long.
- Use the right toothpaste – Brushing with toothpaste that contains zinc or clove oil lessens the effects of coffee breath.
- Sugar-free breath mints or gum – Make sure to keep these handy so you can pop one in after drinking a cup of coffee for a quick freshen up.
- Gargle with mouthwash – After drinking coffee, gargle with mouthwash to eliminate the oral bacteria that cause bad breath.
- Drink a large glass of water – This will help wash away excess coffee particles and bacteria.
As you can see, there are several reasons why coffee breath occurs. Fortunately, there are also several ways to get rid of it. With the above tips, you should be able to keep bad breath at bay so you can enjoy your cup of joe to the fullest!
About the Practice
Dr. Mariliza LaCap, Dr. Darren Tong, Dr. Andres Muñoz, Dr. Kaitlyn Terry, and their team at Washington Dental Associates are here to help patients achieve the gorgeous, healthy grins they’ve always wanted. They offer a range of preventive dental services like checkups and cleanings to keep oral health issues from developing. If you suffer from bad breath and can’t determine the cause, they can get to the bottom of the issue and administer the care you need. Call Washington Dental Associates’ office at (201) 453-4863 or visit their website to make an appointment or for more information on their services.