It’s an essential morning ritual for many people: drinking a cup of coffee. Nearly 7 in 10 French people are regular coffee consumers (68%), according to a recent survey conducted by Yougov. A drink full of virtues, if consumed in moderation. A study, published in 2019 in The European Journal of Epidemiologyestimated that moderate and non-abusive coffee consumption could be associated with a reduction in mortality and an increase in life expectancy of up to two years.
But can we drink this sweet beverage at any time of the day? According to Dr Daz Singh, Principal Dentist and Clinical Director of Ollie and Darsh in Liverpool, speaking in the Hills of HuffPost UK, Drinking coffee before brushing your teeth can have negative consequences on dental health.
Drinking coffee after brushing your teeth: its impacts on oral health
Brushing your teeth right after drinking coffee can have harmful impacts on oral health, believes this dentist. This is why it is recommended to brush your teeth beforehand.
Damage tooth enamel
Among the oral problems linked to drinking coffee before brushing your teeth, the doctor highlights the risk of damaging tooth enamel. According to him, whose remarks are reported by the HuffPost UK, “Drinking coffee before brushing your teeth in the morning can help acid erosion of teetha process influenced by the acidic nature of coffee and nocturnal bacterial activity in the oral cavity”. For the specialist, the fact that coffee is an acidic drink with a low PH “introduces acids such as chlorogenic acids into the oral environment”.
Cause a bacterial infection
For the specialist who speaks to the HuffPost UKdrinking coffee in the morning, before brushing your teeth, can increase the risk of develop bacteria present in the mouth. “The rich nutritional composition of coffee, including sugars and proteins, serves as a substrate for bacterial metabolism, promoting the formation of biofilms and dental plaques”he specifies before adding that this can lead in the medium term to a periodontal disease. As a reminder, this is “a bacterial infection responsible for inflammation of the tissues supporting the tooth”, as recalled by Health Insurance.
Lead to stains on teeth
Indeed, the latter explains that this hot drink, when drunk before brushing your teeth, can lead to the appearance of stains on the teeth. In fact, the dentist explains to the HuffPost UK that drinking a cup of coffee before brushing your teeth can allow coffee pigment to seep into the enamel structure. Eventually, this can cause stains on the teeth.
Sources:
- Dentist Reveals The Worst Time To Drink Coffee In The Morning And We’re Stunned – HuffPost UK (02/07/2024)
- The coffee market in France in 2021 – YouGov
- Coffee consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a meta-analysis by potential modifiers – European Journal of Epidemiology
- Health Insurance