I have very sensitive teeth, I prefer room temp water for example so I always use straws for cold drinks.

Almost always use a straw. My bubba water bottle that I use daily has a built in straw and a little flip up rubber mouth piece so basically a type of straw. I ask for one if I am not given one. I don't like to get liquids on my upper lip or ice tapping on my teeth when I drink.

Using a straw will indeed increase the amount of air that you ingest. And yes, the gas will come out at one end or the other.

gas prevention

I don't at home but there are certain type of drinks that I do use a straw. eg: Milkshakes doesn't taste the same without using a straw. I use a straw when drinking apple cider vinegar mixture to protect my teeth. Also, when I eat out, I prefer using a straw regardless of what kind of drink it is. Probably, it's because those glasses are often hard to grab on for me.

Yes always when drinking from cup/mug in restaurants. I just figure that maybe, perhaps, just-in-case the dishwasher was less than diligent performing his job I won't have previous drinker's germs. A neighbour whose son had HepC said that they went out for a coffee, and when I asked if he had used a disposable cup she said "No, why would he have?" Duh........

Though I must admit, it looks ridiculous drinking A&W root beer from a mug, with a straw but that's how I do it.

Edited to add: The son has since died from HepC!

when I learned that using straws helps against brain freeze from cold drinks, I started using them regularly. But I notice that if straws are small/narrow, I tend to swallow more air than w/ larger straws. Not life disrupting, but I've noticed.

lol..sitting here with an empty sam's club cup with a straw...we bought them this am and sure couldn't drink in the car without one...(they have the best ice teas)

I use a straw for big glasses in casual restaurants, and similarly at my folk's house. I hate it when the ice bumps into my nose! At home, I chose all the glasses, so they and my nose get along fine and I don't need a straw!

You can "tape" a little piece of plastic over the hole in the lid with a pretty sticker.

I never use straws and like Jasdip, I'll remove one if it comes in a drink. Maybe it's the sucking action needed with a straw to get the liquid into my mouth that I find unpleasant? I'd rather use gravity.

I rarely drink soda or anything with ice in it anyway. I always request "no ice please" for water in a restaurant.

I'm a straw user because I'm an ice user. I buy packages of straws at the grocery. I've never had a gas problem because of it, burping or otherwise.

Well sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. If I am traveling about most likely I will have a straw. I have some mugs with lids, like a jar that have lids and when outside on on the big rig you want a lid and they have a straw. Riding in a car I would rather have a straw as it might slop! So I use both. My husband must use a straw for all beverages as he can no longer drink from a glass or cup. Milk shakes must be melted and a straw used too. I keep them on his table in the living room where he has all of his meals.

Sue

Justlinda, so sorry to hear about the loss of your son. So difficult to lose a child.

No, I don't use straws either, but other than an occasional glass of fruit juice, the only thing I drink is water. I freeze a bottle of it over night and have cold water available all day when I'm working.

I'm like you - never ever use a straw and take it out when I get one in a drink in a restaurant.

Carol_in_california....thanks but it was my neighbour's son who died. Mine is still with us :)

I only use a straw if I get a drink from a fast food place. Never at home and never when eating out. I really don't like how iced tea tastes with a straw. Probably all in my mind, but I prefer to drink out of a glass, and I don't like plastic "glasses" either. If I have a mixed drink, like a margarita, I don't mind a straw.

If it's an iced drink like iced tea or lemonade yes. I like plenty of ice in those beverages. Other drinks, no.

Sometimes. justlinda, if you think you will catch Hep C from drinking after someone who has this virus you are woefully misinformed.

Hep C cannot be spread through casual contact. only Hep A can be spread through shared utensils and or food and water.

How Hepatitis C Is -- and Isn't -- Spread

Hepatitis C is spread only through exposure to an infected person's blood. It cannot be spread through:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Hugging
• Kissing
• Breastfeeding (unless nipples are cracked or bleeding)
• Sharing utensils or glasses
• Casual contact
• Sharing food and water

I almost always use a straw, even at home. I never really thought about it before. I wonder why I developed that habit?

I always ask for a straw at a restaurant. Even for the water, and most especially if they serve drinks in plastic glasses which scratch easily and are difficult to really disinfect. Certainly not worried about Hep C or any other virus, but over time scratches may harbor bacteria from food buildup or environmental bacteria. Maybe slightly idiosyncratic, but I just feel safer using a clean straw that comes in a wrapper.

Thanks for the information re transmission, but this is just one of the articles that I have read. Guess I'd just rather err on the side of caution, so I'll stick with my practice of using a straw in a public restaurant.

Can Saliva Transmit Hepatitis C?

With over 5 million Americans infected, the Hepatitis C virus is the
most common cause of liver disease today. Although it is believed to be
primarily transmitted through blood to blood contact, there are
indications that other means of contracting Hepatitis C are possible. Of
primary interest to those concerned with the number one cause of liver
disease is the possibility of transmitting Hepatitis C via saliva.

As the most common chronic blood borne infection in the
United States, the concentration of Hepatitis C virus in a drop of
infected blood is exponentially higher than the concentration of HIV in a
drop of infected blood. This explains why it is important to avoid
anything that could possibly be tainted with any amount of blood. While
not normally found in urine, semen, vaginal/cervical fluids, feces or
saliva, injury or illness may cause some of these substances to be
contaminated with blood.

In nearly half the cases of Hepatitis C, the infected individuals
cannot identify the source for their infection. While it is believed
most cases are due to risk factors involving contaminated blood, there
remain unidentified modes of Hepatitis C transmission. Salivary
transmission is one potential explanation for many unexplained viral
causes.

Costco had mason jar styled insulated mugs with lids and washable straws, I love the glasses but couldn't ever imagine how to get the straws clean.

Ewww! I'm with you Lukkiirish - how on earth would you get those straws clean?

I run my plastic mugs like yours through the dishwasher.I have had mine for a year or so. I even have a couple of the bigger ones. I guess if the straw bothered you you could soak it in some bleach water or put just a regular straw in the hole.

Sue

I use a metal straw, I have several of them. I make smoothies a lot and the metal doesn't get soggy. I don't take it with me so I drink coffee out of a cup but all water with a straw. I feel it's more sanitary.

I use covered tumblers with straws all the time. If a cat knocks that over, it won't make an immediate huge mess.

It depends on what I'm drinking. If there is ice in the drink I prefer a straw. I too have a double walled tumbler with a lid and thick plastic straw. It was a gift from a friend. I make this to die for drink and use that cup: 1 can sugar free (you can use regular if you like) orange crush. 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream and a few drops vanilla. Add ice, stir and enjoy! If I get a take out drink in a paper cup with a lid, I use a straw. Otherwise, I just drink it as is.

I tossed the lids and straws in a bin and never use them. My sister is coming for a visit though and she's a straw user so maybe I'll pull them out for her. A good soaking will work, I wonder if there is a tiny bottle brush I could use to clean them. hmmmm....

Almost always. Except if I have a glass of water at home.

All I ever use my straws with mugs for are ice water or iced tea.

Sue

Only time I use a straw is for sodas at fast food joints. Can't handle my tea through a straw at all!

Tally & Lukkiirish, yes, there is such a thing as a straw brush cleaner. It's much like a bottle cleaner but slender enough to clean straws. I found this out when I was searching for a brush to clean my coffee percolator tube. eg. @ link below.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Straw+brush#/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Straw+brush+cleaner&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AStraw+brush+cleaner

I've cleaned straws with hot soapy water and doubled up chenille stems. Worked great.

There are products out there that are referred to as sipping whiskey - so I sip my whiskey from a shot glass using a straw! Doesn't everyone?

I do, otherwise, I wind up wearing my ice cubes.

How is a straw supposed to keep you from getting germs from a dirty glass? Doesn't make sense to me. Don't the germs get into the beverage from that allegedly dirty container from which you're drinking? Plus if you're a germaphobe straws are just introducing another potential source of germ holders so how is that going to keep you from getting diseases? And people have their hands all over a straw then their mouth goes on it so all the germs from your hands and those you're picking up from the table, the glass, unwashed hands from using the bathroom, purses and more are going into your mouth too. Straws are far from sterile to start with. Even wrapped ones are handled by people, dropped on floors, sneezed on and whatever else to say nothing of the bacteria and germs in the air and storage areas. Apparently I'm missing something here.

I only occasionally use a straw. On a solid glass, never. I'll use it to stir the lemon into iced tea and that's it when it's a solid glass. I'll use the straw for a drink from a drive-up window when I'm drinking and driving (and now MADD can come after me!). I don't like open tops in the vehicle except for coffee. No straw or lid for coffee when drinking it. I do put a lid back on after I've taken a swig.

And FWIW I order a fountain beverage without ice. It's plenty cold and doesn't need to be diluted any more. Plus you get more beverage for your money.

And as a side note, if you ever worked in a restaurant or where there's ice machines you'll know why Marvin Zindler became (semi-) famous for "the big big big big big big 'S'! SLIME in the ICE MACHINE! :)

Sometimes when we are out, never at home (I also heard that straws make you swallow more air, don't care for that)

I drink with what ever is convenient. Water out of the faucet at home goes to glass and then to lips. Coffee is drank from the cup. Sodas at fast food joints are consumed via straw. I never experience swallowing much air in either case. (I never thought about that.) There may be an occasional burp when drinking soda, a result of carbonation.

Only if drinking water with crushed ice when out, as it's chunk ice at home. Seldom drink pop/soda - prefer straight from can or glass.

Insulated mug for use in garden, vehicle, library, etc. with twist-on top and slider to open wide horizontal but narrow vertical drinking hole, might not accommodate a medium to large straw - haven't tried, as not interested: happy to drink water straight from hole.

o j

The only time I use a straw is when I have a malt or milkshake, which is not very often, maybe once a year. Plus, on a TV show about wrinkles , they said that using a straw can worsen those lines on upper lip!