| Allan I. Abolafia, D.D.S. |  |
Allen W. Ackerman, D.D.S. |
| THE TOOTH TRIBUNE |
 Coffee lovers can rejoice. According to a June 2002 issue of
"Time Magazine," Italian researchers have discovered that coffee may
prevent cavities. They measured how well Streptococcus mutans bacteria,
the primary cause of tooth decay, stick to saliva-and-coffee-covered balls
of enamel that mimic the composition of teeth. What they found was that
every kind of coffee reduced the amount of bacteria picked up by the
enamel balls, with roasted coffee faring the best, keeping off 98% of the
bacteria that "stick" to untreated teeth. The researchers do not know what
compound in coffee is responsible, but they have ruled out caffeine and
have found that regular coffee actually proved less effective than
decaffeinated. The newest dental research confirms what moms have always said about sweets
and how they adversely affect your teeth. But, there's more . . .
What dental researcher have found is that there are other foods that may
affect your teeth as much as, if not more. What's even more confusing is
that these foods are actually good for you. Raisins nuts, figs, and other
dried foods are really tough on your teeth. Such foods, because they are
sticky, hold acid against your teeth longer than other foods.The good news is, here are a few surprising healthy hints: 1. Eating fresh cranberries interferes with the bonding of oral bacteria before it has time to form damaging plaque (causing tooth decay). 2. Cheese contains a large quality of calcium. Calcium mixes with plaque and sticks to your teeth. This sticky mixture projects teeth from the acid which causes tooth decay. It also actually helps to rebuild tooth enamel. 3. If when you eat sugary or high carbohydrate foods you eat them as a part of a well-balanced, complete meal, your body produces more saliva than needed to digest your food. That extra saliva washes away more food and helps to neutralize harmful acids before they can attack your teeth. Being conscious of what you eat and your daily oral health habits will keep your teeth serving you well for many years to come. |