5 Ways Alcohol Can Hurt Your Oral Health

A little alcohol doesn’t hurt anyone! Well, while you may think alcohol is suitable for your lifestyle, you should realize that even a little goes a long way to damage your health.

Alcohol is known to cause liver and heart diseases, but do you know that it also affects oral health? People who drink heavily are most likely to be affected, and their oral health is likely to suffer severe damage.

Regular alcohol consumption causes the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth. The bacteria lead to many oral issues, most of which can be fixed by a professional dentist! In addition, it hampers the development of probiotic bacteria that are useful to the overall mouth functioning.

This blog will teach you five ways alcohol can hurt your oral health. Kindly keep reading!

Ways Alcohol Can Hurt Your Oral Health

• Mouth Dryness

Drinks with high alcohol amounts make the mouth and body dry. Taking alcohol naturally dehydrates your body, causing a decrease in natural saliva flow. The harmful bacteria from drinks, therefore, clenches in the teeth.

Lacking enough saliva also means the plaque and bacteria on the tooth's surface won't be washed away. It's, therefore, crucial to ensure that while you take your alcohol to stay hydrated. This will help keep up with saliva flow.

•  Stained Teeth

The color of drinks you take will determine how stained your teeth will become in time. Your teeth will be stained if you tend to have heavily colored alcohol and beverages with high tannin content, like red wine.

Honestly, discolored teeth are not a significant medical problem. It, however, results in low self-esteem for the affected. Your usual bright white smile is now transformed into a dull brown one.

However, worry less since the dentist can fix this situation through teeth whitening. This is a more temporal treatment option; if you continue drinking, it might require further and more permanent cosmetic dental procedures. Take extra caution by brushing your teeth before using concentrated drinks to prevent stains.

• Tooth Cavities

Indulging in alcoholic beverages with high sugar content can result in significant plaque buildup, and with time your teeth start to decay. Usually, the acid in the drinks usually tends to sit on the tooth longer, breaking down the enamel.

Decay starts creeping in when the enamel breaks leading to cavities. You can prevent this by taking less sugary drinks and drinking your alcohol with water.

• Gum Disease

As you take alcohol, your mouth becomes parched. This, in turn, creates a conducive space for developing periodontitis, an oral disease that makes the gums bleed and pull away from the teeth.

Often gum disease starts as gingivitis with little to no symptoms. Once this condition becomes more pertinent, it's essential to seek treatment from your dentist.

•  Oral Cancer

While tobacco is the leading cause of oral cancer most often, it's important to note that even alcohol increases this risk. If you are a heavy drinker, you have nutritional deficiencies which hinder antioxidant use in the body. These antioxidants help prevent cancer cells.

One drink may not heavily impact your oral health. However, heavy and regular drinking plays a huge role in affecting your smile. Even so, the orthodontist can correct most of these underlying issues.

If you have any concerns regarding alcohol use and your dental health, contact Synergy Dental Arts. We will take corrective and preventative measures for a healthier and more appealing smile!