# Why does my coffee taste better after I brush my teeth?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-coffee-taste-better-after-i-brush-my-teeth/79954>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 5, 2001, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-coffee-taste-better-after-i-brush-my-teeth/79954 "2001-09-05T23:57:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-coffee-taste-better-after-i-brush-my-teeth/79954/1 "2001-09-05T23:57:27Z")

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I noticed something very neat a few days ago: if I brush my teeth before drinking my morning cup of coffee, it really tastes a whole lot better. I’m wondering if it’s due to my mouth being really clean (I do brush thoroughly), or perhaps the sweetner in the toothpaste could be making the coffee only _seem_ to taste better. Any answers?

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**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-coffee-taste-better-after-i-brush-my-teeth/79954/2 "2001-09-06T00:14:57Z")

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my wag would be that little bit of mint remaining - mostlikely the same flavor that makes OJ tate horrible

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**Author:** ![robinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@robinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinh)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-coffee-taste-better-after-i-brush-my-teeth/79954/3 "2001-09-06T03:10:28Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Redukter \*  
> **if** I brush my teeth before drinking my morning cup of coffee, it really tastes a whole lot better. \*\*

_(my bolding)_

If? You want to add coffee breath to morning breath? You don’t have an SO/any roommates, do you?!?

Sorry…I’m an unreformed mouthbreather (when I sleep) and my morning mouth is not a pleasant thing. I cannot imagine pouring that first cup of coffee before cleaning my teeth.