Coffee Stains On Teeth & The Effects Of Caffeine

Many of us love the bean and the brew that stems from it. Coffee has a special place in the hearts and minds of human beings in the 21C. Drinking our particular rendition of this indulgence has become something of a ritualised daily experience. Coffee stains on teeth and the effects of caffeine, however, are not as warmly appreciated. What then are the dental ramifications of this, dare I say, addiction for some? Are there oral consequences not commonly realised or spoken about in polite company? What is the lowdown on the brown smudges on our dental ware and the longer term considerations of caffeine addiction?

“Coffee is a famous drink consumed throughout the world for its flavour and aroma. The drink has been studied due to its properties and effects on the human organism in several areas of science, and dentistry. Coffee extracts present their effects in several segments of oral health, as in tooth staining, dental plaque accumulation and caries development, restorative materials properties, and so on. As coffee is part of the dietary habits of most people, it is important to know these effects and how to use the advantages of the drink and control its adverse effects to provide and maintain conditions of oral health.”

– Flávio Henrique Baggio Aguiar, Núbia Pavesi Pini, Débora Alves Nunes Leite Lima, José Roberto Lovadino, Chapter 57 – Effect of Coffee Consumption on Oral Health, Editor(s): Victor R. Preedy, Coffee in Health and Disease Prevention, Academic Press, 2015

The Dental View Of Coffee Stains

What does a dentist have to say about those coffee stains on our teeth? The culprit is the tannin, which is a polyphenol that breaks down in water. These tannins result in colour compounds sticking to our teeth. You find the same culprits in tea and red wine. The sad thing is that it is not excessive coffee drinking causing the problem, as it only takes one cup to do the job and stain your pearly whites. Luckily the staining is not permanent or need not be with some help from either you or us. Your dentist can clean your teeth and remove coffee stains from the enamel upon your teeth, while professional teeth whitening can push you into the anti-stain affirmative. Regular dental cleaning is a pretty good idea if you are concerned about the health and appearance of your teeth. You can, also, supplement this by brushing your teeth with baking soda a couple of times a month. There are whitening toothpastes containing baking soda and whitening strips too. Always check the ingredients on things that you are going to put in your mouth and whether they are approved by the dental associations in your country. It pays to be cautious about such things.

Coffee Drinking & Bacteria Growth

Too much coffee drinking is bad for our health on a number of levels. Coffee consummation can provide bad bacteria build ups within our oral cavity. The best advice is to drink water and clean your teeth after having a coffee. If we neglect our mouths and only feed it with things like coffee, this can, in time, result in enamel erosion and tooth decay. Bad breath is not an uncommon symptom of this dietary and dental care neglect. Our oral cavities are delicate eco systems and should be treated with care and respect throughout the day. Remember your body is a temple rather than a dumping ground. Regular gentle tongue scraping with a scraper is a good practice here as well.

While on the subject, we’re not for a moment disparaging our fine friends in the local Sunbury cafe scene! And may we say, here’s 12 great cafes to enjoy in our happy little coffee-drinking town.

The Contradictory Effects of Caffeine In Oral Health

Oh, coffee I do love you so, but your contradictory nature doth concern me somewhat too. Your excitable stimulatory effects upon me are wonderful, however, will I be sorry in the morning? Will I awaken from my slumber to find that my teeth are falling out and that my indulgence in your brew is to blame? What, therefore, does the science have to say? Well here it is straight from the horse’s mouth, and as we know horses’ teeth are often stained – what does that say about the vegetarian diet’s effect on teeth? Horse owners can of course take their prized nags to a dental vet, but we digress. Back to the science:

“The contradictory effects of daily coffee intake are also found in oral health fields. Many studies reported the protective effects of coffee consumption on periodontal health, while others discovered its drawbacks. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of caffeine contained in coffee might lead to beneficial results for periodontal diseases. In contrary, a study indicated that the daily coffee consumption may delay the bone repair after tooth extraction.”
– NCBI

Like most things in life excessive consumption is clearly bad for our health. Likewise, drinking a lot of cups of coffee daily is not recommended by dentists and health professionals. Caffeine is a stimulant and studies have shown its addictive qualities. Rats and mice have been known to do it until they die.

Osteoclastogenic Risks In Coffee Consumption

“Coffee/caffeine consumption may lead to a malfunction in calcium metabolism, reduction in bone mineral density, and delayed bone repair. Caffeine may inhibit the development of osteoblasts by decreasing the expression of vitamin D receptors on the surface of osteoblasts or by causing the upstream mediator cyclic AMP to down-regulate osteoblast proliferation. Another experimental study showed that daily caffeine consumption may increase osteoclastogenesis. The intake of coffee was significantly associated with an increased risk for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture. Since caffeine can provoke osteoporosis, tooth loss also increased as osteoporosis risk increased. Coffee consumption may elevate calcium excretion through urine which may also increase osteoporosis. Calcium loss may be harmful to the elderly who have less calcium intake. Recent long-term longitudinal cohort studies revealed that a high coffee intake of 4 or more cups daily was associated with a small reduction in bone density.”
– Nature.com

Coffee Followed By Water Is Best For Health

The coffee stains on your teeth may be the least of your worries in the long term. These things, however, are signposts or warning lights on the dashboard – ignore them at your own peril. May advice is to drink plenty of pure water as a dietary balance for any indulgences that you may have. Water cleans out things, like our oral cavity and our internal systems. Regular flushing of our system keeps things in good shape. Learn to love imbibing pure water if you do not already do so. All these other drinks like tea, coffee, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages are acceptable in moderation but not as mainstays. Water must be your mainstay for better health. Excessive drinking and smoking is a recipe for a health disaster, both for your teeth and gums and your body biologically.

Prolonged Caffeine Indulgence Can Kill Eventually

Coffee stains on teeth and the effects of caffeine more broadly are things to be aware of when we are young and in rude health. Once we enter into middle age and beyond they are things to be taken far more seriously. Habits involving excessive indulgence are potentially fatal behaviours down the track. Ignoring such stuff is wilful denial of the realities of our biological states. Our hospital wards are, unfortunately, full of human beings who turned their back on their own health responsibilities. It costs the nation billions of dollars and causes much unnecessary heart ache for loved ones and families.

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Note: All content and media on the  Sunbury Dental House website and social media channels are created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

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