Do you enjoy waking up with a cup of coffee? Drink up! A recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology shows that drinking more java can decrease your risk of dying from oral and pharyngeal cancers.
The American Cancer Society study examined the coffee- and tea-drinking habits of 968,000 people, who were followed for 26 years. Upon enrolling in the study, all the subjects were cancer-free; in the 26 years of follow-up, there were 868 deaths from oral and pharyngeal cancers. People who drank four or more cups of caffeinated coffee had approximately 50 percent lower risk of dying from oral cancer than people who did not drink coffee (or drank it occasionally). However, the study could not determine whether coffee drinkers were less likely to get oral cancer or more likely to survive it.
According to one of the study’s authors, Janet Hildebrand, coffee contains a blend of antioxidants, polyphenols and hundreds of biologically active compounds that “protect against development or progression of cancers.”
The study also found a slight association amongst people who drank more than two cups of decaffeinated coffee, but no such link was found amongst tea lovers.
The American Cancer Society estimates about 35,000 new cases of oral cancer will crop up in 2013. Oral cancer is one of the 10 most common kinds of cancer in the world.
Pour Yourself a Cup
In an article published in the New York Times, Ms. Hildebrand said she didn’t recommend people start drinking coffee for cancer prevention. But she stood behind the notion that coffee could have compounds that contain anticancer effects.
Other benefits of drinking coffee? Research has shown that coffee can lower women’s risk of depression, lower men’s risk of prostate cancer, fight off Alzheimer’s disease and decrease the risk of diabetes.
If you’re worried about your daily coffee or tea habit leaving permanent stains on your teeth, most dentists offer whitening or bleaching treatments to lift the stains. These treatments can be performed at the dental practice or in the comfort of your own home, using custom whitening trays.
Please contact Orlando dental implants provider Ronald Trevisani for more information on how to keep your smile looking and feeling healthy.