Tetracycline Coffee

Teeth have a transparent outer layer of enamel which is about 2 mm thick, and an inner layer of white dentine which surrounds the innermost pulp cavity where the nerves are located. Both the enamel and the dentine are calcium phosphate, a mineral that can exist in various forms, that of the enamel layer being hydroxyapatite, which is one of the hardest naturally occurring minerals. When this is exposed to fluoride it forms an even harder mineral fluoroapatite. Unfortunately both this and hydroxyapatite are slightly porous and this is why teeth become stained by chemicals such as polyphenols and other dark coloured substances that are present in coffee, tea, red wine, bilberries, blueberries, and cigarette smoke. (Staining can also be caused by tetracycline antibiotics, especially when taken by children whose teeth are developing. This type of discoloration is permanent, which is why such antibiotics are now only prescribed for adults.)... 

The calcium in food can complex with tetracycline to reduce its absorption. This is particularly notable with dairy products, which can reduce the absorption of the tetracyclines by up to 80%, thereby reducing or even abolishing their therapeutic effects. Doxyeyeline and minocycline are less affected by daily products (25 to 30% reduction). Orange juice and coffee do not interact with tetracycline. 

A study in 9 healthy subjects found that 200 mL of orange juice or coffee (milk content, if any, unstated) did not significantly affect the bioavailability of a single 250-mg dose of tetracycline. This is despite the fact that orange juice contains 35 to 70 mg calcium per 100 mL. ... 

Jung H, Rivera O, Reguero MT, Rodriguez IM, Moreno-Espai R. Influence of liquids (coffee and orange juice) on the bioavailability of tetracycline. Bi< harm Drug Dispos (1990) 11, 729-34. 

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