You’re late for work and skip breakfast, so during the commute, you pick up a donut and cup of coffee and you’re on your way. This common quick-fix breakfast scenario can cause dental problems. The sugars in donuts have been identified as a contributing factor for cavities. When one compares the sugars found in plain donuts with sugars found in oatmeal, the sugars in oatmeal cookies amount to only one-fifth of the sugars in plain donuts. The sugar and cream in your coffee can also have an effect on the amount of cavity-causing bacteria. Tannins found in coffee etch into the pits and grooves of the tooth enamel, producing a rough stained surface. 

How can you lessen the sugar bath our teeth receive from this common breakfast combination?

Don’t nurse your coffee or pick at that donut throughout the morning. When you eat your donut quickly, it limits the exposure time to the sugar bacteria.

Rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste immediately after finishing your breakfast.

Cut back on the amount of cream and sugar in your coffee. 

Instead of a sugary breakfast, try picking up fruit, yogurt or a cup of oatmeal for your portable morning meal.