{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T21:32:11Z","timestamp":1773091931576,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]],"date-time":"2026-03-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772841600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent childhood diseases worldwide, with Streptococcus mutans playing a major etiological role. Coffee contains bioactive compounds, including chlorogenic acid and trigonelline, which have demonstrated antimicrobial and anticariogenic properties. Limited evidence exists on the preventive potential of coffee in Saudi adolescents. This study was designed to assess the benefits of coffee consumption in reducing dental caries among adolescents aged 12 to 16 years. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 375 participants aged 12\u201316 years in Saudi Arabia. Participants were recruited from dental records and allocated into two cohorts: (1) consuming coffee at least twice weekly, subcategorized as sweetened versus unsweetened coffee consumers, and (2) non-coffee consumers. Clinical assessment included the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index, which was assessed at variable follow-up times up to 5 years. Caries increment (\u0394DMFT) was compared using independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA with Tukey\u2019s post hoc tests. Multivariable linear regression adjusted for tooth brushing frequency, dietary habits, and oral hygiene status was performed. Results: Coffee consumers had significantly lower caries increment than non-consumers (0.78 \u00b1 0.65 vs. 1.34 \u00b1 0.88; mean difference \u22120.56; 95% CI \u22120.71 to \u22120.41; p &lt; 0.001; Hedges\u2019 g = \u22120.71). Among coffee consumers, unsweetened coffee was associated with a lower increment than sweetened coffee (0.52 \u00b1 0.48 vs. 1.09 \u00b1 0.71; mean difference \u22120.57; 95% CI \u22120.76 to \u22120.38; p &lt; 0.001) and non-consumers (mean difference \u22120.82; 95% CI \u22120.98 to \u22120.66; p &lt; 0.001). After adjusting for oral hygiene and dietary factors, the protective associations remained significant for both unsweetened (adjusted mean difference \u22120.51; 95% CI \u22120.70 to \u22120.33; p &lt; 0.001) and sweetened coffee (adjusted mean difference \u22120.22; 95% CI \u22120.41 to \u22120.04; p = 0.019). Conclusions: Within the limitations of this retrospective exploratory design, habitual coffee consumption, particularly that of unsweetened coffee, was associated with lower caries increment. These findings are hypothesis-generating and require confirmation in prospective studies with standardized exposure assessment and biological outcome measures.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children13030378","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T11:06:52Z","timestamp":1773054412000},"page":"378","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Anticariogenic Potential of Coffee in Adolescents: A Retrospective Exploratory Cohort Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4974-4487","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Murad","family":"Alrashdi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Buraydah 52571, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"GBD 2017 Oral Disorders Collaborators, Bernabe, E., Marcenes, W., Hernandez, C.R., Bailey, J., Abreu, L.G., Alipour, V., Amini, S., Arabloo, J., and Arefi, Z. (2020). Global, Regional, and National Levels and Trends in Burden of Oral Conditions from 1990 to 2017: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study. J. Dent. Res., 99, 362\u2013373.","DOI":"10.1177\/0022034520908533"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"963","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sdentj.2024.04.011","article-title":"SEQUEL: Prevalence of dental caries in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review and Meta-analysis","volume":"36","author":"Khan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Saudi Dent. J."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"643","article-title":"Dental caries in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review","volume":"16","author":"Alshammari","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Taibah Univ. Med Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"CD002278","article-title":"Fluoride toothpastes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents","volume":"2016","author":"Marinho","year":"2003","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. 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