A Dentist Review of Boston University’s Gum Health Study

In our dentist office, we believe in the importance of preventing cavities and gum disease from forming.  We understand that if our patients don’t experience cavities it is better for them overall.  The same holds true for gum disease since who wants to deal with oral pain when they can simply prevent it?  With this in mind, we are constantly looking for new ways that our patients can stay in excellent oral health.  The basics are simple and easy to follow.  Brush and floss your teeth throughout the day and have your teeth cleaned twice a year.  However, there are more tips that can be integrated into a daily routine that will make these activities even more effective.

A recent study out of Boston University looked at the impact drinking coffee can have on the health of gums and teeth.  Nathan Ng, lead researcher and study author, wanted to know if coffee helped or hurt the gums.  In order to find out, they analyzed data that was collected by the Department of Veteran Affairs over the course of thirty years.  During this time frame they observed over one thousand men, collecting the results of their dental exams along with food intake surveys.  This created an excellent opportunity for the University of Boston researchers to find out if coffee impacted oral health.

They started by placing the participants into one of two groups – those that drank coffee on a regular basis and those that did not.  The coffee drinkers had to have at least one cup a day over the course of thirty years in order to be included in that population.  What they found is interesting.  Coffee drinkers had fewer teeth with bone loss.  As a dentist, we understand that bone loss is a common sign of gum disease which leads us to agree with the researchers – coffee drinkers reduced their risk of gum disease.  One of the study’s authors, Raul Garcia, D.M.D. concluded that this was likely due to coffee preventing gum swelling.   Caffeine is a natural anti-inflammatory, so this too is a logical conclusion.

Here is how it links together.  Coffee contains antioxidants and caffeine.  Caffeine can naturally prevent or reduce swelling.  The first sign of gum disease is swollen gums; therefore reducing swelling can help to prevent gum disease and its side effects.  Gum disease, when caught early, can be easily treated with a deep cleaning and the gums will start to restore themselves.  When it is not caught in time, gums will start to recede, and pockets in the gum tissue will be created as a result.  This provides a place for bacteria to gather which can then attack the exposed tooth and root system.  As it does, teeth become weaker and may eventually fall out.  Drinking coffee may help to prevent or delay this process when combined with a good oral health routine.

As a dentist, we recommend that patient who want to drink coffee also increase how much water they drink.  Coffee can dehydrate you which is bad for your body and your oral health so make sure to balance it out.  Get your teeth cleaned regularly as well in order to prevent and catch gum disease in its early stages.