Loyola Dentist Calls For Further Research Into Coffee Benefits
A dentist from Loyola has called for further research after a study revealed that drinking coffee could help to reduce the risk of oral cancer.
The study, which was carried out by the American Cancer Society, suggested that drinking a large amount of coffee could reduce the risk of oral cancer by up to 50 per cent, but dentist, Martin Hogan, from Loyola Health University System, claims that further research is required, as coffee is one of the leading causes of damage to tooth enamel.
Hogan said that the study suggests that there are major health benefits associated with drinking up to four cups of coffee per day; however, he said that more research needs to be carried out, as coffee, along with tea and red wine, can cause damage to the protective tooth enamel.
Hogan said that as with all studies, there are other factors and variables, which have not been taken into account in this study; the major risk factors for oral cancer are drinking, smoking and exposure to the HPV (human papilloma virus), and drinking coffee is unlikely to nullify the effects of these risk factors.
Hogan also stressed the importance of early diagnosis; he said that many patients ignore the early warning signs, which means that their condition is not diagnosed until an advanced stage, when treatment has a lower success rate.
Hogan urged patients to see their dentist on a regular basis and to look out for symptoms including swellings in the mouth or throat, ulcers that take a long time to heal, numbness of the tongue, difficulty swallowing, red or white patches in the mouth and swelling in the jaw.
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