Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 2/21/2005

Question
Hello,

I have heard conflicting info on both coffee and black tea and their effects on teeth.  I drink both black, without added sugar.  Do they promote or inhibit tooth decay?

Also, what are the symptoms of peridontal disease and would a dentist be able to tell from a normal exam?

Thank you.

Answer
Dear Bryan,

Both coffee and tea have been shown to have modest decay-preventive qualities; the former the putative result of the antimicrobial activity of one of its constituents, and the latter from the enamel-strengthening benefit of its high fluoride content. The statistical data are weak, and most dentists do not go out of their way to recommend either beverage as part of a normal dental prevention regime. The use of nutritive sweeteners would naturally counter any anticariogenic benefit of these beverages.

Periodontal disease often presents with no obvious symptoms until it is quite advanced, so reliance of symptoms alone is unreliable when making a diagnosis. Perhaps the most consistent complaint of patients with gum disease is frequent bleeding from the gums, but this varies and is not always a presenting symptom. In any case, the diagnosis of periodontal disease is a necessary part of any dental examination, and any such exam that does not specifically evaluate for the presence of periodontal disease would be considered grossly deficient. The evaluation of periodontal status is well within the capabilities of any qualified dentist.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY