How does alcohol effect oral health?
Drinking alcohol on a regular basis negatively effects our oral health as well as our overall health. Generally speaking, people consuming alcohol fall into three categories – those who consume in moderation, those who abuse alcohol and those with alcohol dependence.
Alcohol consumption effects on our body
Alcohol consumption has been linked to more than sixty diseases including heart disease, stroke, liver cancer, breast cancer, depression and anxiety, epilepsy and liver cirrhosis.
Alcohol consumption effects on our mouth
Drinking alcohol regularly in excess is associated with the development of some mouth cancers.
Being drunk increases the risk of injuries to the face or other parts of the body due to falls, road traffic accidents and violence.
Increase risk of tooth decay due to the sugar, starch and acids contained in alcoholic drinks and mixers. When the sugars combine with the plaque bacteria within the mouth, acids are formed that can soften and damage the teeth. Although natural saliva in the mouth helps to reduce damage by washing away bacteria and neutralising the acids, alcohol has a drying effect on the mouth reducing the amount of saliva flow and it’s protective effects.
The acids in alcohol and mixer drinks cause erosive tooth wear. This occurs by loss of the outer tooth layer of enamel resulting in exposure of the softer inner dentine.
Increase risk of gum disease due to lapse in cleaning teeth regularly and effectively. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss. It is also linked to other diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Tips to reduce tooth damage caused by alcohol
Reducing the consumption of alcohol is an obvious way of preventing many of the problems associated with it.
Risk of tooth decay and erosive tooth wear may be reduced by sipping water alongside alcoholic drinks, mixing with soda water instead of sugar soft drinks, using a straw to limit direct contact on teeth, and chewing sugar free gum to stimulate saliva production and minimise tooth damage.
Visiting the dentist regularly to have teeth professionally cleaned and hygiene advice to help control plaque build up and prevent gum disease.
