4 Tips To Protect Your Teeth From Alcohol

Having enough saliva production is critical to keep your mouth clean and healthy; it helps wash the acids and plaque-causing bacteria from your mouth. But, when you drink alcohol, it slows down your saliva production, which can cause dehydration, leading to plaque buildup.

Effects Of Alcohol On Oral Health

If you are still wondering how alcohol affects your oral health? Alcohol is not only bad for your physical and mental health, but it is also bad for oral health, which is interconnected to drinking alcohol and gum disease.

Here are some of the major oral problems caused by drinking alcohol –

• Cavities
• Gum Disease
• Tooth Decay
• Dry Mouth

You must contact a dental care provider immediately if you have any of these dental or oral health issues so that you can treat them before they get worse.

Can Alcohol Cause Cavities

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of cavities, but it depends on the quantity of alcohol intake and how often you drink it.

Alcohol metabolizes into sugar over time, which attracts bacteria. When bacteria buildup, they damage the surface of the teeth, leading to cavities.

People who are habitual to drinking alcohol or drink alcohol in higher amounts tend to have more plaque formation on their teeth due to bacteria buildup.

These individuals are three times more likely to experience permanent tooth loss.

Drinking Alcohol And Gum Disease

Alcohol creates bad bacteria in your mouth. The more alcoholic drinks you consume, the more likely bad bacteria will accumulate on your teeth and gums. The bad bacteria can lead to gum disease and other oral health issues.

Drinking alcohol in excess amounts can weaken a person’s immune system and impair your body’s ability to fight against infections, which leads to gum infections and gum disease.

You can know the connection between drinking alcohol and gum disease in addition to watching your alcohol intake.

Does Alcohol Causes Tooth Decay

Yes, alcohol consumption can lead to tooth decay. When saliva production increases, it washes away fewer bacteria from your tooth enamel, and this process increases the risk of tooth decay.

Many cocktails use sugary mixtures to enhance the taste that coats your tooth surface, leading to tooth decay over time.

Beer, red wine, and white wine all contain acid that dissolves your enamel over time, leading to tooth sensitivity.

Does Alcohol Cause Dry Mouth

The most immediate link between alcohol and oral health is dry mouth (xerostomia). Alcohol consumption causes body to produce more urine, which can lead to dehydration, resulting in a dry mouth.

Alcohol irritates the tissues in the mouth and throat, causing inflammation, and it also reduces saliva production, which reduces and stops the healing process.

Reduction in saliva production can cause dryness or sticky feeling in the mouth, resulting in difficulty swallowing and sore throat.

How You Can Minimize Alcohol Effects On Oral Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), moderate alcohol consumption for women is one drink per day, and for men, it is not to have more than two drinks in a day.

Consuming alcoholic beverages in moderate amounts can help in preventing alcohol effects on oral health.

Alcohol And Dental Implants

Drinking alcohol after a dental implant or surgery can negatively impact your healing process by increasing the risk of complications.

Alcohol can interfere with healing by delaying and stopping your body from rebuilding bone cells, blood vessels, skin, collagen, and other areas that may have been damaged from the procedure.

Having one alcoholic beverage can reduce the number of vessels that supply blood to your developing jawbone, which can leave the bone starving and cause future complications.

In some cases, consuming alcohol just after your procedure could have long-term impacts on your overall health.

Oral Care Tips To Protect Your Teeth From Alcohol

Including these oral care tips, you can still enjoy your after-dinner drink and a glass of red wine. Here are certain preventative measures to protect your teeth from alcohol.

• Brush Your Teeth Before Drinking

Don’t forget to brush your teeth before going out for a drink. Plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth are real magnets for red wine, which helps it stick to the surface of the teeth, increasing the potential for teeth staining.

• Rinse Your Mouth With Fluoride

Your dentist may recommend professional fluoride treatment if the condition of your teeth cannot be cured with at-home fluoride rinses.

At the dentist’s office, treatments can provide a higher concentration of fluoride for better protection.

• Drink Water After Having A Drink

Drink water after every alternate sip of alcohol to wash it away instantly. Drinking enough water will not only rinse acidity and sugar from your mouth but also protect your body from dehydration, which causes a dry mouth.

• Use Sugar-Free Gums

Saliva helps wash away harmful food particles from your mouth, neutralize acids, and fight against bacteria.

Chewing sugar-free gum after alcohol consumption can stimulate saliva production. This helps to clear acids and bacteria from your teeth and gums and promotes good oral health.

Key Takeaways

Now when you already know how alcohol effects on oral health. If you still want to enjoy a glass of red wine, you must use preventative measures given in this blog to keep your teeth clean and healthy and to preserve your overall oral health.

For more information on alcohol effects on oral health, contact Dacula Dental, and get specialized dental treatments according to your oral health.

Oral Hygiene Is The Foundation To A Confident Smile