Drinking out of a Straw

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#1 Post by **tsmurfenator** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:47 pm

I have found that since getting braces now I can't drink anything without a straw.. Have become so accustomed to it I figure it is good and reduces potential staining decay since all the sugar & colored liquids bypass teeth totally. I drink lots of cola & energy drinks.. I don't know if it actually helps.

I've noticed that in USA people don't use straws that much. In other countries where braces are more common whenever you go to a store and buy a bottle soda they also give you a straw too, I don't know if this is coincidence or not. I think drinking from a straw out of a glass bottle is super cute. I have sometimes heard people saying drinking with a straw is bad etiquette (or immature) but I think it is good etiquette because it is quieter (as long as you don't slurp up the end) and in my opinion much more sanitary. I think it is gross to drink directly out of bottle or can which many people do.

I was on an airplane a couple of days ago and asked for a straw with my beverage like I always do. I guess this is a fairly uncommon request because they always warn me they only have those little mixed drink stirrer straws.. but on this flight they did not even have those. The lady seemed to understand why I wanted a straw though and offered to give me my beverage with light ice.. which was OK but sure would have been better with a straw.

Does anybody have any advice for addressing lack of straws?
Thinking about carrying these little straws everywhere I go..

#2 Post by **BracketRacket** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:23 pm

tsmurfenator wrote: I think it is gross to drink directly out of bottle or can which many people do.

Why?

Does anybody have any advice for addressing lack of straws?
Thinking about carrying these little straws everywhere I go..

Since you can't manufacture them out of thin air or demand someone "find one", that seems to be the way to go

#3 Post by **ashesgap** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 10:42 pm

I don't think the straws do anything. Really. Your tongue is moving and saliva is all over your mouth...so is your drink. Maybe someone could do an actual experiment and see. I think if you tried it with red Kool-Aid you'd end up with red all over your teeth. I tried drinking my coffee with a straw, i felt stupid...lol, my 6 year old kept asking me why i was using a straw.
I'm trying not to change my whole life around just because i have braces. I bought a special little Juicy bag for my portable ortho stuff, toothbrush, floss, wax and anbesol....i draw the line at straws.

#4 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:55 am

I have clear brackets and have used a straw throughout my treatment when drinking anything potentially staining. My hygienist commented that she could tell---the fronts of my front teeth were much whiter then the rest. If I am anywhere where I cannot get a straw, I drink only water or clear pop.

#5 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:18 am

Of course the straws does something...when you drink with a straw you can postition the straw towards the back, bypassing your teeth. When you don't use a straw, the drink goes all over the place.

#6 Post by **Leyfy** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:49 am

I use straws for coffee and tea (I drink a LOT of coffee at work) but not really for anything else. I have a stash at home, and a stash at work.

The only time I have had bad staining from the ceramics was after eating a curry, rather than drinking anything.

#7 Post by **footpounds** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:07 pm

I think drinking through a straw looks effeminate. But hey....that's just me!

#8 Post by **GeenBug** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:57 pm

I love green tea, but ever since i got braces i've stopped drinking it because i've been afraid of staining. I used to drink it at least once a day, sometimes twice. I've only drank it once since i got my braces and i used a straw. I'm now going to start drinking it again and keep using straws...i think they do help prevent potentially-staining drinks from getting all over your teeth. I don't want to give up all the things i like doing because i've braces

. I think as long as you keep brushing and flossing right after you shouldn't have problems of staining. But would drinking it twice daily be too much though as it'll increase the chances of staining?

#9 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:33 pm

Drinking through a straw not only prevents (some) staining, if you have ligs, but it also prevents sugar from eating away your teeth.

#10 Post by **MyLittleTeeth** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:54 pm

GeenBug wrote:I love green tea, but ever since i got braces i've stopped drinking it because i've been afraid of staining. I used to drink it at least once a day, sometimes twice. I've only drank it once since i got my braces and i used a straw. I'm now going to start drinking it again and keep using straws...i think they do help prevent potentially-staining drinks from getting all over your teeth. I don't want to give up all the things i like doing because i've braces . I think as long as you keep brushing and flossing right after you shouldn't have problems of staining. But would drinking it twice daily be too much though as it'll increase the chances of staining?

I've been sporting ceramic braces on for 21 months, drink tea every day (usually green), and haven't had a problem with any sort of staining - teeth, brackets, or ligs. I think I read somewhere that green tea is actually good for your teeth (helps prevent tooth decay or something), so I'd say you're probably okay to drink it in moderation.

#11 Post by **Theresa48** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:11 am

I carry straws with my everywhere...

the way my braces are, and due to a space in the front from and extraction and the coily wirey think in the front, I tend to drool when drinking regularly from the corner of my mouth--yikers! With straws, no drooling.....I will say when you get an extraction, NO STRAWS, so when I got my tooth pulled plus braces it was a drinking nightmare!!!!!!!!!

#12 Post by **alimommy1** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:38 am

Carry your own supply? If you just want the little tiny drink stirrer type of straws, you can probably buy them in bulk at a warehouse store such as Costco, Sam's Club, BJs, or Smart & Final. If you want actual drinking straws, you can either get a pack and keep a few with you or you can swipe a couple extra any time you happen to be in a fast food place - since the straws are usually out and nobody notices if you take more than one lol.

I went through a period of time when I used straws all the time and I just bought large packs of them... 300 or 500 at a time or something like that. I never had a specific reason for preferring straws, I just liked using them. At the time, my daughter was just learning how to drink out of a sippy or with a straw, and wonder of wonders, she mastered the straw right around 7-8 months old and so we bought straw sippys instead of the traditional 'spout' sippys.

#13 Post by **GeenBug** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:34 am

MyLittleTeeth wrote:
GeenBug wrote:I love green tea, but ever since i got braces i've stopped drinking it because i've been afraid of staining. I used to drink it at least once a day, sometimes twice. I've only drank it once since i got my braces and i used a straw. I'm now going to start drinking it again and keep using straws...i think they do help prevent potentially-staining drinks from getting all over your teeth. I don't want to give up all the things i like doing because i've braces . I think as long as you keep brushing and flossing right after you shouldn't have problems of staining. But would drinking it twice daily be too much though as it'll increase the chances of staining?
I've been sporting ceramic braces on for 21 months, drink tea every day (usually green), and haven't had a problem with any sort of staining - teeth, brackets, or ligs. I think I read somewhere that green tea is actually good for your teeth (helps prevent tooth decay or something), so I'd say you're probably okay to drink it in moderation.

Yea i read that too. You're probably talking about the same article i also read.

#14 Post by k8 » Sat Jul 24, 2010 10:18 am

I take a handful from fast food / coffee places whenever we pass by. These are usually wrapped as well, so can float around the bottom of my bag until I need them.

#15 Post by **Chicagogal** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:59 pm

ashesgap wrote:I don't think the straws do anything. Really. Your tongue is moving and saliva is all over your mouth...so is your drink. Maybe someone could do an actual experiment and see. I think if you tried it with red Kool-Aid you'd end up with red all over your teeth. I tried drinking my coffee with a straw, i felt stupid...lol, my 6 year old kept asking me why i was using a straw.
I'm trying not to change my whole life around just because i have braces. I bought a special little Juicy bag for my portable ortho stuff, toothbrush, floss, wax and anbesol....i draw the line at straws.

I am also of this mindset. I tried drinking my coffee through a straw and it sucked (no pun intended). this might be different for me as a tongue thruster, but unless i really try and shove the straw down my throat and shotgun the beverage to the back of my throat, when i swallow even with a straw I can feel the liquid wash over my teeth in all places regardless of how small the sip.

can users make a poll in this forum? i've seen them but I dont see a button to creat one of my own (is it an admin only privilege?) i'd love to know the stats on who thinks what

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