February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. The National Children’s Dental Health Month is a…
Should You Cool Off with Iced Coffee or Something Else?

Iced coffee is a great way to cool off during the hot days of summer. It gives you energy, cools you off, and allows you to take it with you when you go! What better opportunity is there for a refreshing drink, right? Well, not so fast. There are some things you need to keep track of when it comes to sipping iced coffee. Let’s take a peek.
The Downsides to Drinking Iced Coffee
The biggest downside to drinking iced coffee is the fact that drinking coffee in any form can stain your teeth. This is true for iced coffee as well. The best ways to avoid your teeth getting stained while sipping on your favorite summer beverage is to one, make sure that you brush as soon as you are done drinking, and two, use a straw! The straw may not seem like it does much to help, but when you use a straw, the staining parts of the coffee bypass your front teeth and lessen their staining impact on your teeth. Another little tip is to make sure when you do drink iced coffee, make sure there is something by way of creamer or an added splash of milk to help lighten the color of what you are drinking. This will decrease the impact the coffee has as well.
The other problem with iced coffee is the ice. Many people chew on ice as a way to both cool off, and keep their mouths busy. The problem is that ice can damage your mouth by cracking your teeth, and being jagged enough to cut up your gums. The only way to avoid this is to avoid chewing on ice altogether. If you are super warm and ice is your only option, then make sure you only suck on the cubes to avoid causing harm to your mouth.
If you are looking for something you can drink this summer that is not going to stain your teeth quite as badly, you have a few options. You can drink lemonade with just enough sugar to take away the tart lemon flavor, or you can drink a tall glass of cold water. Just remember with either of those options not to chew on the ice, as it could still damage your teeth or gums. For more information on ways of keeping your teeth bright and white, contact us today!


Dr. Jordan Cooper is from Jacksonville, AR. His father is Dr. James Cooper, a Jonesboro, AR native and practicing dentist of 39 years and his mother, Tracy Cooper, is a dental hygienist from Little Rock. Dr. Cooper graduated high school from Central Arkansas Christian, after which he entered at the University of Arkansas as a Chancellor’s Scholar in 1998.
Dr. David Cole is a graduate from the University of Arkansas, receiving his degree in 2016, and is a huge Razorback fan! He then went to dental school at the University of Tennessee where he received his D.D.S. in 2021. He looks forward to getting to know the Central Arkansas area, and serving his community!
Dr. Rasmussen is a Hot Springs native who graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in 2017 (Go Bears). After receiving his D.D.S from The University of Tennessee in 2021, he is looking forward to serving the central Arkansas community and the wonderful people who live here.

Dr. James Cooper was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He studied at the University of New Mexico and graduated from dental school from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. After 2 years of dental experience with the Army, Dr. Cooper moved to Jacksonville in 1973 to practice dentistry.