La Cimbali learn how a cup of black coffee can help stop your teeth rotting.
La Cimbali learn how a cup of black coffee can help keep teeth healthy
A certain type of coffee bean has ingredients that can help break down bacteria that causes plaque, a new study shows. Black coffee drunk in moderation can stop tooth decay, as Scientists who tested extracted baby teeth with extract from Coffee canephora (which is a type of bean used in up to 30 per cent of the world’s coffee), found the coffee broke down bacterial biofilms which cause plaques.
Coffee canephora, commonly known as Robusta coffee, is a species of coffee that has its origins in central and western sub-Saharan Africa and is a kind of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family.
If you are partial to a strong cup or two of Espresso coffee, your dentist has probably told you it is doing your teeth no favours! But new research suggests that drunk in moderation, coffee can actually help stop tooth decay.
Brazilian scientists have found that a certain type of coffee bean has an anti-bacterial property, and if it is drunk strong, black, without sugar, and in moderation, it could help keep teeth healthy and strong. The scientists at Rio de Janeiro’s Federal University tested extracted baby teeth with an extract from Coffee canephora and found that the coffee actively broke down bacterial biofilms which cause dental plaques, a major cause of tooth decay.
Lead researchers discovered that dental plaque is a classic complex biofilm and it’s the main culprit in tooth decay and gum disease. By using milk teeth, donated by children, the team cultivated biofilms on tooth fragments using the bacteria in saliva samples. When the fragments were exposed to a solution with an extract of coffee beans, the bacteria were broken down.
The researchers think that polyphenol antioxidants in the coffee were probably responsible for the effect, but admitted that more research is needed to establish a direct link between the two. Although the results are exciting, they warned that too much coffee can still be bad for teeth, and there are problems associated with excessive coffee consumption, including staining and the effects of acidity on tooth enamel. Plus, if coffee drinkers add a lot of sugar and cream to their coffee, any positive effects on dental health are probably going to be cancelled out. But the good news is that eventually, the active chemicals could be extracted from coffee to be used in mouthwash, toothpaste and other dental hygiene items.
These days, we are always looking for natural compounds in food and drink that can have a positive impact on dental health – but maybe coffee is the answer.
Enjoy your Espresso coffees but don’t forget to brush your teeth afterwards!
