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Nursing a latte for hours could culminate in tooth decay, at least according to a Seattle dentist who says she's seen an uptick in cavtities among coffee drinkers.
If your last trip to the dentist revealed a crop of new cavities, look no farther than your coffee cup.
The culprit may be lurking in your latte, according to Seattle dentist Heidi Hackett, who says her conversations with patients have led her to believe that the popular coffee drinks are causing an uptick in adult tooth decay.
"We found that the majority of the patients are spending many hours a day working at the computer and 'nursing' either lattes or coffee with milk," says Hackett. "The constant exposure to the lactose or milk sugar is giving the bacteria in the mouth a flood of raw fuel or 'food' to metabolize."
According to Hackett, the type of bacteria most responsible for tooth decay is Streptococcus mutans, which metabolizes carbohydrates and sugars into acid. The acid then eats away at the tooth enamel until -- voila! -- a cavity is born.
Over the past five to seven years, Hackett says she's seen a definite rise in tooth decay in people who haven't had a high rate of cavities in the past. Now, though, the common denominator seems to be that they're all sipping on lattes or other milk-laden beverages or snacking at their desks throughout the day.
"There are a tremendous number of workers in our area who spend endless hours in front of a computer screen and drink coffee and snack for a fair number of those hours," she says.
Drinking your latte in 15 minutes is fine, says Hackett. But nursing it all day long like an adult baby bottle is where you get into trouble.
David Volk, a 47-year-old Seattle author and stay-at-home dad, says he's definitely a slow sipper when it comes to his morning mocha.
"I'll drink it as I remember," he says. "It'll be sitting on the desk and it'll get cold, so I'll put it in the microwave and then forget about it and then find it later and then start drinking it again. There are just days when you really need that mocha. It's like liquid therapy. I don't want to stuff my face, but I just need something. It's kind of a moment."
Unfortunately, stretching that moment out to several hours gives the bacteria a chance to go to town on your teeth.
Lattes should be considered snacks because of their high milk sugar content, Hackett says. And sippers should take appropriate steps to protect their teeth.
"If you're going to drink a latte or coffee with milk, you can drink water after to help neutralize the acid, or chew sugar-free gum to stimulate salivary flow to help rinse the acids and neutralize," she advises.
Fluoride rinse, she says, is another great way to keep your teeth healthy, especially if you drink a lot of beverages with milk, sugar, honey or if you constantly snack throughout the day.
Cleveland dentist Matthew Messina, a consumer spokesperson for the American Dental Association, agrees that sugar exposure is definitely a culprit -- even for adults.
"Whether someone's sipping a latte all day or sipping a carbonated soda all day or a baby is going to bed with apple juice in a bottle, the cause of the decay is still the same," he says.
As for a national trend in "adult baby bottle mouth," he says he's not aware of it.
"Maybe it's a Seattle thing," he says.
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This is why I drink lactose free milk without any added sugar, and with dental-friendly xylitol (with stevia) sweetener instead. And yes, I drink a lot of water as well. I am not quite convinced that lactose is the cause at all.
At least for me, (probiotic-rich greek) yogurt can be an excellent temporary substitute for coffee.
So this study is just based on a dentist having conversation with some of her patients. I am glad that she jumped to this conclusion. Most food consumption is going to be a treat for the resident bacteria. So why only latte.
I would say that more damage to the enamel is done by the dentist using their scrapping tool.
constant exposure to lactose substrate is the potential reason being discussed. AB - why all the steps to avoid lactose if you are "not quite convinced" it is the cause?
Mycorner - you are correct this is just an observation with no data to support it. However, you are slightly incorrect with your assertion about other foods, and downright incorrect about dental scraping (mechanical removal is the most effective form of oral biofilm dispersion). Many other foods have complex sugars in addition to the simple ones, carbohydrates, fats/lipids, proteins, and salts which are hard to metabolize and high salt concs. can actually kill microbes. Other foods are "fed" to the bacteria in one large dose at one time. There are typically brushing after many of these "feedings." What is being talked about here is consistent "feeding" of a simple sugar which many microbes readily metabolize.
I never heard of milk giving you cavities. I'll have to ask my dentist about this one. Maybe, it's only the sugar content in the coffee causing the cavities. Not to mention it, just the fact that people have to have their coffee "laced" with anything means they don't really like coffee at all.
I'm going to disagree with you there. First off, many people just get lattes which is just milk and espresso. Secondly, milk can serve as food for bacteria, this is nothing new. Lastly, I only drink my coffee black but sometimes want a latte since I can have espresso and get some of my daily nutrients (milk) in a tasty snack. I can only handle so much black coffee a day and espresso is something else that is very very tasty but too fleeting when taken by itself.
milk contains the sugar lactose, and numerous other sugars which microbes can use as substrate including glucose and sucrose. the sugar you buy in the store or add to coffee is sucrose. just because it is not "table sugar" does not mean it is not a sugar!
I don't think the issue is milk. I think the issue is that if you keep sipping slowly, you are essentially dipping your teeth (along with the bacteria on your teeth) in a sugar-rich solution, which the bacteria thrive on.
It's both. Milk contains sugar (lactose), which does feed the bacteria. This is why parents are advised not to put a baby to bed with a bottle of milk - it can cause rampant tooth decay. Sipping all day prolongs the amount of time the teeth are exposed to acid, which is the breakdown product when bacteria metabolize sugars. This can occur even with plain milk, which has no added sugars, just its own natural lactose.
Oh sweet Jesus help us!!!!! Please, PLEASE stop us from doing studies as this. That's all I ask is why? Why?
Wait for a counter study sponsored by Starbucks! With the usual disclaimer, good for heart and limbs but occasional cases of tooth decay has been found in rare cases.
Picard- DITTO!
There's a reason why dentists recommend brushing your teeth three times per day if possible--and this study just enforces that belief.
Dear Ray_Chuang:
I've heard that too except I'd end up filing the enamel off of my teeth if I brushed 3 times a day. I have sensitive teeth.
again....I am a dental hygienest....sensitivity is not because you brush your teeth too hard....it's from little tubes that run between your dentin and your enamel. You should try brushing with Sensidine toothpaste. The catch with this though is that you have to use it for atleast 2 weeks before you will start seeing the results. If that doesn't work for you there are other options out there. It maybe because you have demineralization of you enamel. If this is the case, try toothpaste that contains flouride. This will cause remineralization of the enamel, making it stronger.
Christina, as a hygienist, surely you have seen patients with toothbrush abrasion from brushing too hard. Actual physical damage is done to the tooth. It can cause sensitivity.
Red Wolf, it's not so much how much you brush, as it is your brushing technique.
I am a dental hygienist and it has been known for YEARS that milk has added sugars.....its like letting a baby sip on a sippy cup full of milk all day....their teeth rot! The sugars and carbs ingested are brokedown into acid by the bacteria in your mouth....these "acid attacks" last for about 30-45 minutes each time. That means that the acid is eroding your enamel for 30-45 minutes each time something of this substance is ate/drank. However, only 2 kinds of bacteria found in your mouth actually cause cavities. That is why you can have one person who rarely brushes their teeth and their teeth are covered in plaque and calculus, but they don't have a single cavity. Then on the other hand you can have someone who goes above and beyond the standard dental care adviced and they have a mouth full of cavities! --Some people just don't have the cavity forming bacteria in their mouths.
Why is it whenever you find something that is comforting, a doctor wants to take it away? Just asking.
Dear Valhallaarwen:
What do you mean by comforting? Some people find drugs and alcohol "comforting" and yes, they want to take it away!
Valhallaarwen,
I would rather take the coffee away than take your teeth away. Besides, as stated, it's the repeated attacks of sugar(and milk) over time that cause the problem. Drink your coffee down and brush after. At a minimum, rinse out after with water, it will help raise the Ph in your mouth (less acidity).
Dr G DDS
Red wolf, are you serious? I was not talking about drugs or alcohol, I was talking about food or drink. Everyday something is good/bad/good/bad. Example, one day you hear is milk is good for you, not it is not, now coffee is bad for you, then it will be good again. My teeth are fine, btw, and I honestly don't drink coffee that much. When I do drink real coffee, it is very rare, I don't use real sugar in it, I use equal with half and half. If I want something hot, I drink gas station cappuccino or hot chocolate or hot apple cider.
I for one do believe in moderation. Folks are going to eat or drink what they want.
Nobody is trying to take away your latte. They're just recommending that you don't take all day drinking it. Feel free to ignore that advice, as is your right. But also realize that you're responsible for the outcome.
Figured this out a couple of years ago and switched to just having Americanos (with no cream added, but I do add some flavoring). Not only am I saving on my dentist bill, but I'm also saving on my daily coffee habit!
Next, somebody will say sipping Coke all day is bad.
Dear cheetah:
It is. It also has both sugar and caffeine in it too.
Cheetah, Coke is the worst, because of the high sugar content combined with an acid level that would already dissolve chrome off a car bumper. Dr G DDS
Dear Goldiefisher:
Would tea also do the same thing?
Contrary to popular "wisdom", with proper nutrition, teeth, like all other organs in the body, will heal. Cavities can be reversed. Teeth are not dead tissue, they are alive.
Oh really..? You can heal a cavity? Please tell us how that works...
*I* can't heal anything. The human body can. It's just one of the millions of wonderful things that the human body can do, just like healing a cut or many other injuries. Can you say how the body heals a wound and kills off infections? Neither can I, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Is it even logical to say that the body can heal any other organ of wounds and infirmities, but teeth are somehow the exception? Does that make any sense at all?
Search the net. You'll find info on the subject.
Dear Expat7:
And I guess that you have a mouth full of cavities to prove your theories, correct? There are a few exceptions to the rule according to my dentist that there are people out there who don't experience dental problems if they never see a dentist like there are also people out there who if they go to the dentist like they should continue to experience all sorts of dental problems.
To an extent, it is correct that early carious lesions can be remineralized. However, there is a point at which the damage is irreversible. The layer of tooth in which decay start is enamel, which contains no living cells. Once it is broken, and a cavity forms, it can no more heal itself that can a broken fingernail.
And the body generally needs help in the remineralization process. Dentists have known and recommended this for years, and it is the basis for some of the "remineralizing" toothpastes advertised.
@ Sandy, I think teeth can do better than that, and I say that knowing it goes against conventional dentistry doctrine. While nails, hair and the outer layer of skin is designed to be shed, teeth are different in that they are designed to be a certain size and shape for life. The reason people have cavities is clearly not simply because of lack of brushing or lack of dental care, as primitive tribes which lack both of these things are regularly found to be substantially free of cavities. What explanation does conventional dentistry have for that phenomenon?
The reason is diet. The food found in the developed world is not the quality it should be due to the industrialization of the food supply. Vitamins and natural enzymes that our ancient ancestors consumed are now destroyed by the typical food processing, pasturization, sterlization, etc that is the norm in society and deemed "safe" by the FDA. This is the reason, I believe, that we have no only cavities but a myriad of other health issues as well, such as cancer and heart disease.
But I encourage you to search the net for information on the idea that cavities, even severe ones, can be reversed, and honestly consider the possibility. Information is out there and easily found. Cheers...
Modern dentistry's explanation is refined sugar, so yes, diet, but not in the way you're thinking. And, due to wear, our teeth are NOT the same shape for life.
And your explanation still doesn't address the healing of carious lesions that have actually cavitated (meaning there is an actual physical break in the enamel, not just demineralization). Enamel is a non-living substance, and such breaks can't be healed. There are no living cells in enamel, and the cells that produce enamel cease to exist once enamel formation is complete, so no more can be formed.
BTW, primitive tribes aren't caries-free, although they do often have substantially fewer cavities than people in the devoloped world. But they are often less likely to sit around sipping lattes, sodas, or snacking on candy as well, since these foods are generally less available to them.
Hi Sandy. Isn't it an assumption on your part that cavities cannot be healed due to non-living tissue? Isn't it possible that living cells could first saturate or populate the area and then convert back into the finished enamel? Is there any proof that this or another mechanism couldn't exist to heal cavities? That is in fact pretty much how skin injuries are healed.
I did not say that primitive tribes are always cavity free, I said they were substantially cavity free. And if the cavities that did form all went on to become full blown tooth infections, I think that would be notable. If they don't then something is at least arresting the cavity development in the few cases where they start.
But sure they still happen to various degrees in such remote tribes, and such people are not a model of health in all respects, but the fact that some tribes can be found to be in far better dental health than the general civilized population, in spite of never brushing and a complete lack of dental care (in stark contrast to many on this thread who brush with almost a phobia) should tell us there are fundamental things we don't properly understand about teeth. Yes, I agree that refined sugars are a start, and this is evidence that our bodies are not designed to be consuming them! White sugar is nasty stuff, actually.
Best to you,
Neil
No, not an assumption. This is known in oral histology for years. We actually know a remarkable amount about the steps and cells involved in the formation of teeth. The cells that form enamel are called ameloblasts. Once the enamel portion of a tooth is formed, they cease to exist. It would be great if we could induce other cells to differentiate to perform that function, but, in living subjects, we can't. On the relatively rare occasions when the ameloblasts don't cease to function/exist, the result is a fairly aggressive tumor called an ameloblastoma, which requires surgical removal. In the case of skin wounds, the wound is surrounded by still-existing, normally-dividing cells. This is not so in dental cavities. Also, a blood supply is required to support those cells, which is not available on the surface of a tooth that is erupted. The inner layers of the skin, where the new cells form, contain blood vessels. The enamel and dentin layers of a tooth don't. You refer to living cells to populate and heal the cavity, but, even if ameloblasts were still there, they would have no supporting blood supply in the area of the cavity.
I think we're actually more in agreement on the refined sugar than you seem to think. Refined sugars are abundant in developed nations, but not as available in primitive regions, leading to a lower incidence of caries.
There also may be a lack of infection with the decay-causing bacteria in these populations. We do know that caries is contagious, passed through saliva. A population in which this type of bacteria is rare, isolated from the rest of the world, thereby preventing the introduction of the bacteria, would show a lower incidence of infection.
The knowledge that caries is infectious has led to research into a vaccine development, which, if I recall correctly, tested in Britain several years ago with a moderate degree of success, indicated by a reduction in caries incidence.
REALLLLY???!!!!! COME ON MAN!!! Anything you drink is going to decay your teeth bottom line.. Just brush 3 times a day!! DUHHHH?? No need to have a PHD of medicine for this dumb azz article! Geeeeeshhhh!!!!
Here we go again, the big word "Could". No friggen facts and someone writes an article about nothing!
Sad....................journalism.
Typical newsmedia frenzy of lies...one day coffee is so beneficial for you and may do this or that for you, the next day the story is completely reversed with a new study, and as you watch the same BS across news networks....hmm it must be an autistic condition of the newsmedia, the face of which is almost always the same.
Milk was supposed to be full of calcium for building strong teeth or so we were told.
Too much news reporting can be harmful to your health, what...you expect everybody to show up in protest on national television networks indulging in all the make believe sins of the newsmedia, and the behavior of reporters can generally be categorized as insanity. Or is television why this country isn't all it can be, or more like a conveyor belt of complete ignorance and stupidity pumped out over the airwaves and Telco networks 24/7/365. Some people just pray for another hurricane or tornado to shut it all down and off for some peace of mind, it's all just so ridiculous, fanatical, idiotic, etc, etc, etc. I wonder how many decades it will take before any intelligence arises in this country again, political or otherwise.
So which is it, the act of sipping or the contents....like this article can rot your brain as bad as any teeth. Is this somehow supposed to modify the public's behavior....well thanks for bringing it to the public's attention. I feel so ashamed and guilty for sipping my Latte.
Seattle's water used to make that coffee contains added fluoride for the sole purpose of medicating sugar eaters against tooth decay. As Dr. Phil would say "How's that working for you." Multi millions of dollars, maybe billions, are wasted on fluoridation every year. Tell your legislators to Stop It!
For more info: http://www.FluorideAction.Net
We all have to wonder why wild and domestic animals wean their babies off of milk in a short period of time. It must be a survival and healthy thing.
animals dont drink coffee either
Using your own logic.... how many wild and domestic animals live into their 80's on average and a good number hit 100+ years old?
Got milk?
i brush after each meal. if i can't brush, i won't eat. yes i carry my toothbrush with me EVERYWHERE i go. i am too shallow and vain
OMG- another thing that is harmful to us.
Let's all just eat lettuce and tofu and drink purified, distilled water.
And let's just swab ourselves down with disinfectant and put on our HazMat suits before leaving the house.
No, thanks...
Fluoride rinse? Wow, this writer should research fluoride. It was used first in Nazi Germany to make the citizenry complacent. There has also been research that it can cause cavities. It is listed as a neuro-toxin.
Read up on fluoride and then ask yourself why you need so much of it. You get it in municipal water supplies, toothpaste, mouthwash, just to name a few, on top of that your dentist wants to give you a mega dose of it at least once a year. I asked my dentist if he gave his family fluoride and he refused to answer.
Just Google: fluoride toxicity