Alcohol’s Impact on Oral Health
Alcohol is a common part of many activities that individuals will participate in throughout their lives. But what is alcohol’s impact on oral health? We get that question more frequently than you might imagine. And it’s complicated.
Whether celebrating a birthday or a new year, alcohol may seem to be an essential component of such events. The reality is that while moderate consumption of alcohol can be part of an individual’s relatively healthy lifestyle, alcohol is not generally considered healthy by any means.
Alcohol has short and long-term effects on the body. Your health with regard to your brain, blood sugar, and liver are affected. The effects are both long and short-term, with the severity affected by the amount consumed. Beyond all of this, alcohol in excessive amounts is not healthy in how it affects the mouth tissues, gums, and teeth.
City Dental Centers describes how alcohol affects your oral health further in this article. There may be some effects that you are not aware of, so read on!
How Much Alcohol is Excessive?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines moderate alcohol use as one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men. Heavy drinking is classified as eight or more drinks per week for women and fifteen or more for men. It’s important to note that gum disease, mouth sores, and tooth decay are much more common in heavy drinkers. Alcohol abuse is the second most common risk factor for oral cancer.
How Are Teeth Affected by Consumption of Alcohol?
Individuals suffering from alcohol dependency usually have higher plaque buildup on their teeth. Additionally, they are three times as likely to permanently lose teeth. While there is no conclusive evidence that moderate drinking places individuals at risk for severe tooth and mouth disease. However, many dentists report that they can see the effects of moderate drinking in individuals quite frequently.
Staining is another possible side effect. Color in beverages comes from chromogens. Chromogens attach to tooth enamel that has been damaged by acids found in alcohol and stain teeth. While some individuals avoid this by drinking alcohol through a straw, the best way to prevent staining is to abstain from alcohol or at least ensure you are moderating your consumption.
Highly alcoholic beverages also are found to dry out the mouth. Saliva helps to remove plaque and bacteria from the mouth and it keeps teeth moist. Drinking water to stay hydrated is always a good idea when consuming alcohol.
Are There Any Oral Health Benefits to Drinking Alcohol?
There is no real reason to begin drinking alcohol or using it more out of some belief that it might make your oral health better in some regard. While there has been a study done where it was found that red wine kills oral bacteria called streptococci, known for resulting in tooth decay, several more studies have found links between alcohol abuse and harmful effects to oral health.
Because of the high potential for abuse with alcohol, it is difficult for individuals in both the dental and medical fields to ever recommend alcohol for any reason. Regardless of how much you currently drink, it is advised that if you do plan to consume alcohol that you do so moderately, ensure you are staying on top of your oral hygiene habits, and that you consume water while you drink to stay hydrated.
Most importantly, do NOT drink and drive. Yes, this article primarily focused on alcohol’s effects on the teeth. However, you must note that if you drink and drive you put your entire health at risk. Alcohol affects judgment, so always plan to have a sober driver if you’re out and about. Your oral health will be the last of your concerns if you kill someone else, or yourself, making the biggest mistake of your life.
Are You Suffering From Alcohol’s Impact on Oral Health?
Is alcohol’s impact on oral health affecting you? City Dental Centers is happy to help with questions regarding the best way to preserve the health of your teeth and body overall. If you haven’t yet experienced the care of City Dental Centers, including their friendly doctors and staff, perhaps now is the time to do it.
Make your next dental appointment scheduled with City Dental Centers and get ready to experience the difference!
Convenient Dentist Offices in Southern California
Doctor Sam Shahovesi and the team at City Dental Centers are here to provide our patients with the best dental services and dental surgeries for children and adults of all ages. From toddlers to seniors, City Dental Centers offers six convenient dentist offices in Southern California. We even have a dedicated children’s dentist office, City Dental Kids & Braces, to cater to the special physical and emotional needs of children.
Ready to experience the best dentists in Los Angeles? Choose one of the convenient dental offices we have surrounding LA. We have dental practices in Azusa, Corona, Lake Forest, Montclair, Pico Rivera, and West Covina. You can call our main line at (888) 624-8933 or reach out to an office directly with the information below. We’re so happy you’ve chosen City Dental Centers.