HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS YOUR ORAL HEALTH

A lot of people like a good alcoholic beverage every now and then, but drinking too much can negatively impact your oral health in many ways. Like anything else, alcohol should only be consumed in moderation, or it can start to affect your entire body. If you want to protect your teeth, check out how alcohol affects your oral health.

Stains

If the alcohol you drink is clear like white wine, you probably don't have to worry about stains. However, red wines, dark beers, etc. can increase the risk of stains, which will transform a white, bright smile into something dull and brown. Teeth-whitening can remove these stains, but if you continue to drink, the stains will return.

One way to help prevent stains before you drink red wine or similar stain-causing alcohol is to brush your teeth before you drink. Yes, it's actually better to brush your teeth before you drink alcohol instead of after you drink. When you brush before you drink, you remove any plaque, which the tannins stick to to cause stains. Also, brushing right before you drink anything acidic can damage enamel because the acid softens your enamel.

Dry Mouth

One reason you don't have to constantly brush your teeth is saliva. Ideally, your mouth should produce enough saliva to wash away bits of food or plaque between the times you brush and floss. This isn't enough alone to keep your smile healthy, but saliva plays a big role in preventing irritation and decay.

Alcohol is a diuretic, and any diuretic can lead to dry mouth because it may cause you to become dehydrated. Without the necessary saliva, your mouth can't keep itself clean between brush times, which increases the risk of decay and irritation from plaque and bacteria.

Cavities

Dry mouth is one reason heavy drinkers tend to have more cavities since the acid from bacteria is allowed to sit on the teeth for longer, which gives the acid time to break down the enamel. Once this happens, decay sets in. Alcohol also promotes cavities because it is so acidic on its own.

One way to help prevent cavities is to drink plenty of water whenever you drink alcohol. Whether or not you have dry mouth, the water will help wash away plaque and acid while also hydrating you.

Gum Disease

Acids, plaques, and bacteria don't just affect the teeth. They can irritate your gums too, which may promote gum disease. Gum disease often starts as gingivitis, which may have little to no symptoms, but may include tender gums that bleed when you brush. If you’ve reached this point, it's imperative to seek treatment from your dentist.

The effects of gingivitis can be reversed, but if it is left untreated and advances into periodontal disease, many effects cannot be reversed. For example, gingivitis may cause gums to slightly pull away from the teeth, but after treatment, your gums can move back to their regular position. By the time you have periodontal disease, however, the gaps may be too big to fix themselves and you may need surgery to repair the gums.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is often associated with tobacco use, but alcohol consumption can also increase your risk of oral cancer. One reason for this may be related to antioxidants. If you are a heavy drinker, you may have nutritional deficiencies that can hinder how the body uses antioxidants to prevent cancer cells.

If you are a smoker, the dehydrating properties of alcohol may allow carcinogens in cigarettes to get into your cells because dehydration negatively affects cell walls.  

One drink every now and then probably won't lead to gum disease or oral cancer, but drinking a lot can negatively impact your smile. If you would like to learn more about how alcohol affects your oral health, contact us at Bradley Piotrowski DDS, MSD, LLC today.