04 Apr Alcohol and Oral Health

How Alcohol Abuse Can Lead to Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

Have you ever thought about how your drinks affect your oral health? Chances are that you know about sugary drinks, coffee, and acidic sodas. These drinks are common causes of stained teeth and dull smiles. But there is one more beverage that can seriously impact dental health. Drinking alcohol more than often can lead to tooth decay. From mild to moderate, drinking alcohol can damage other body parts too. Do you want to save the havoc caused by alcohol on your oral health? If so, it’s vital to understand the relationship between alcohol and oral health. 

Effects of Drinking Alcohol on Your Dental Health

Check out a few ways drinking alcohol can harm one’s dental health. 

• Teeth-staining

Cigarettes, coffee, and some alcoholic beverages can lead to teeth staining. Many dark beers and red wines can affect dental health to a large extent. The reason is that the dark color of dark beer can stain teeth. Plus, the high tannin content of the red wine can also cause staining. Having stained teeth can lower the self-esteem of a person. A straightforward way to avoid teeth staining is to brush soon after drinking alcohol. 

• Enamel Erosion

Another adverse effect of alcohol is that it can lead to enamel erosion. The excess acidic content present in the beverage is the main reason. Frequent exposure of teeth to highly acidic drinks can cause wear and tear. It can be a sign that one needs to stop alcohol usage immediately to save their smile. 

• Oral Cancer Risk

Cancer is a term that can turn someone’s life upside down. Drinking alcohol frequently and in large amounts can cause body inflammation. This, in turn, can lead to cancer – a fatal disease. Frequent drinkers develop the chances of mouth and throat cancer. The best way to reduce the effect of alcohol is to limit it or avoid it altogether. 

• Gum Disease

Drinking alcohol can affect the hydration power of the body too. It mainly targets the kidneys to make them expel water more than usual. It can lead to dehydration and reduction of saliva flow. This is why many alcohol drinkers often deal with a dry mouth. A dry mouth is a recipe for problems. It can lead to gum bleeding, gum recession, plaque and infection. 

• Tooth Decay

Alcohol and tooth decay are two terms with a deep relationship. When a person drinks alcohol heavily, it will lead to permanent tooth loss. This is because alcohol can lead to dehydration (as discussed above). Continuous alcohol consumption will reduce the flow of saliva in your mouth. This, in turn, keeps all the harmful bacteria in your mouth. The high presence of plaque can increase the chances of tooth decay. 

What Happens with Long-term Drinking of Alcohol?

Having enough saliva will help in washing down mouth acids. But long term consumption of alcohol can lower saliva production. It can cause dehydration and plaque build-up in the mouth. Some of the effects of long-term alcohol usage include:

• • Tooth decay 
• • Oral cancer 
• • Gum disease
• • Dry mouth 
• • Bad breath and a lousy smile 

Tips to Keep Your Mouth Healthy & Free from Diseases

The first step is to have enough saliva to keep your mouth healthy. It will keep the mouth clean and healthy with less plaque and tartar. Alcohol intake can impact oral health negatively to a large extent. This is why a person who heavily consumes alcohol should follow a few healthy tips mentioned below. With these few tips in mind, they can keep their mouth healthy. 

• • Limit your alcohol intake. First of all, they need to limit the amount of alcohol they drink per day. If avoiding the drink entirely isn’t possible, limit it. 
• • Hydration is essential; drink plenty of water. Excess water can help one to wash away mouth acid and food. This will keep their teeth free of stains and decay. 
• • Flossing and brushing are vital. A toothbrush can’t reach some areas where plaque and tartar are present. This is why flossing will help them keep harmful elements away from their teeth. 
• • Schedule frequent visits to their dental clinic. To reduce the tartar build-up, they need to schedule frequent dental visits. They must inform the dentist about their dental consumption. 

These are the simple ways a person can maintain their oral health. Alcohol and oral health come with in-depth relationships. A few precautionary steps will assist the person in keeping their dental health optimum. 

What Do Studies Say About the Effects of Alcohol on Oral Health?

Studies show that people who drink alcohol suffer from dental issues. Alcohol can have a negative effect on oral health. A few things that studies say about alcoholic people are:

• • Regular alcohol consumption leads to gum bleeding 
• • Alcohol users suffer many oral diseases as compared to non-alcoholic persons 
• • Frequent alcohol drinkers have more chances of plaque compared to non-alcoholics. 

Take Care of Your Dental Health!

When it comes to keeping your mouth healthy, you need to avoid alcohol. If you can’t stop alcohol completely, limit it to avoid the adverse effects. Try to drink water in between beverages to stay hydrated. It is one of the best ways to avoid the damaging effects of alcohol. Alcohol can impact dental health beyond repair. Having a good oral health routine can help one avoid the drink’s side effects. 

As an alcohol consumer, knowing the relationship between alcohol and oral health can help. It can assist in making informed choices about what to drink and avoid. Addiction can affect someone’s life, health, and quality of living. But the good news is that there are treatments available to get rid of alcohol usage. 

At New Method Wellness, we help people to overcome their alcohol addiction. Rather than focusing on short-term recovery, we focus on complete and permanent recovery. Do you have questions or need any advice for your loved ones struggling with alcohol usage? Fret no more; contact us today, and we would love to offer the right treatment plan.