Many people are fond of taking coffee especially on a cold day. This is as a way to keep warm as they maneuver their daily activities. However, health experts in the dentistry department have warned that prolonged usage of coffee can be a serious dental health threat.
According to dentist Payal Bhalla, coffee drinkers tend to have stained teeth due to the presence of tannins in the coffee. The acidity of coffee can result in erosion of tooth enamel and this will cause tooth sensitivity and cavities.
Coffee also has a diuretic nature that can cause dry mouth and reduced saliva production. This will in turn increase the risk of tooth decay. Reduced production or presence of saliva in the mouth leads to tooth decay and bad breath as saliva plays the role of neutralising acids and washing food particles and harmful bacteria away.
There are people who like sipping their coffee. In fact a good number of coffee drinkers do sip it. Sipping is taking in a liquid substance in a slow manner and in small quantity. Experts warn that sipping coffee is even more dangerous as one prolongs the exposure of the teeth to harmful components of coffee. Sipping it extends the amount of time that your teeth are exposed to tannins.
It is the tannins that are responsible for the dark colour in coffee. When in contact with enamel for long, it can adhere to it and this will lead to discolouration and stains on the teeth. Also, as seen earlier, coffee is acidic and therefore if it takes long while in contact with the teeth it gets more time to erode the enamel.
