Many people believe occasional or limited consumption of alcohol can be healthy. However, it is not valid. Alcohol is unhealthy for us, even if consumed occasionally or within limits. While alcohol may affect many bodily organs, such as kidneys or liver, it can also significantly impact oral health.
Alcohol consumption can be associated with short-term and long-term ill effects on our body. Alcohol is known to cause tooth decay, bad breath, dry mouth, gum disease, and many other dental problems. It will be ideal for you to realize the ill effects of alcohol and quit drinking.
If you have been drinking and are concerned about your oral health, you should consult a bayside dental arts dentist to understand the impact of alcohol and how to reverse it for optimal oral health.
Understanding how alcohol affects oral health:
- Alcohol causes dry mouth.
One of the most common oral health problems after alcohol consumption is dry mouth. Dry mouth is also known as xerostomia, and it is a diuretic. Alcohol consumption can cause our bodies to produce more urine. You will pee very often when consuming alcohol.
As a result, more urine production in the body will cause dehydration. Due to dehydration, less saliva will be produced in your mouth, resulting in a dry mouth. Alcohol can also cause a sore throat and make it difficult to swallow food.
- Alcohol causes staining
Another common ill effect of alcohol is staining. The color in drinks such as beer or rum comes from chromogens. When you drink alcohol, chromogens get attached or stuck to the tooth enamel, which has already been damaged due to the acids present in alcohol. Discoloration and staining can be a common and recurring problem when consuming alcohol.
- Alcohol accelerates gum disease.
We may experience diseases such as gum disease or periodontitis. When we experience such an oral problem, our immune system fights it off and improves our oral health. However, our immune system can become weak when alcohol consumption is high.
If you already have gum disease and continue to consume alcohol, your condition will worsen. It will be a healthy choice to quit drinking alcohol and take care of your oral health before it is too late.
- Alcohol causes tooth decay.
As we know, alcohol causes dry mouth and reduces saliva flow. When saliva flow is reduced, less bacteria is washed off from the tooth enamel. Bacteria gets stuck and causes tooth decay due to alcohol. Alcohol also causes cavities by metabolizing into sugar and increasing unhealthy bacteria in the mouth. It will be best for you to avoid alcohol and choose optimal oral health.
