COFFEE may well be a major culprit in the darkening of our teeth, if we consume it frequently without milk.  But do we know that caffeine, which is a main ingredient in coffee, makes us more alert, and that it is a drug with remarkable healing powers? In fact, for decades, asthma sufferers have gotten relief from caffeine. In addition, recent findings have shown that it also helps prevent Alzheimers’s and Parkinson’s diseases, apart from limiting stroke damage, and reducing the incidence of skin, colon and breast cancers.
Dentists exist to eliminate the negative effects of stained teeth due to coffee abuse. But coffee plays an important role in mopping up damaging free radicals (which are incriminated in cancer formation), and it is a stronger antioxidant than Vitamin C.  Moreover, in addition to preventing illness, caffeine can help us in our daily lives by doing everything, from boosting mood to maximizing weight loss.
But besides the effect on teeth enamel, is there a downside? Scientific studies looking at tens of thousands of people have shown that caffeine is not the villain it has been made out to be. For example, despite what many people think, it does not cause or exacerbate high blood pressure or heart problems.
It is true that some persons experience insomnia (difficulty sleeping), or get “the jitters” after drinking a lot of coffee. These and other side effects usually disappear when it is consumed regularly, or in smaller amounts, especially with pregnant women, whom I advise should not take more than two teacups a day.
Many of the day-to-day benefits we receive from caffeine stem from its effects on neurotransmitters, the chemicals that regulate communication between nerve cells. Caffeine boosts the effects of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which improve mood. It also boosts levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that improves short-term memory.
In fact, researchers at the National Addiction Centre in London studied more than 9,000 people, and found that those who ingested caffeine scored higher on tests of reaction times, reasoning and memory. Other tests have shown that coffee improves IQ test scores.
Coffee drinkers should keep their regular dental appointments for oral care, since as little as 100 mg of caffeine — the amount in four ounces of drip-brewed coffee — boosts mood and memory with double that enhancing optimal mental and physical performance,  and such indulgence can eventually darken teeth.
But remember: You would not develop a tolerance to the beneficial effects of caffeine. For instance, if 300 mg helps you run faster the first time you take it, the same dose will deliver the same benefit, even if taking caffeine for years.
It takes about fifteen minutes for a cup of coffee to take its effect. The effect usually lasts three to four hours, but this varies from person to person. Women who take oral contraceptives metabolize caffeine more slowly, and may feel the effects twice as long. On the other hand, smokers metabolize caffeine more quickly, and experience a shorter “buzz”.
If anyone should decide to be a coffee drinker, start with about 100 mg in the morning, and gradually increase your dose until you experience the benefits without side effects. Also, determine your personal “caffeine cutoff point”, the time after which consuming coffee interferes with your sleep.
This is different for each person.  So, the benefits of drinking coffee far outweigh the negative effects, if one coordinates with one’s dentist. Coffee relieves headaches, suppresses appetite, promotes efficient fat-burning, increases metabolism and lung capacity, among numerous other benefits.