How Bad is Alcohol for Your Teeth?
Our oral health is significantly impacted by the foods and beverages we consume. As everyone knows, eating poorly can affect our weight and digestive health, but nutrition can also affect dental health. We must choose wholesome foods and be mindful of our nutrition. How much of an effect does alcohol have on your teeth and gums? Let's look at how alcohol affects the mouth and how to generally maintain better oral health.
Alcohol’s Effects on Your Teeth
When patients ask us “is beer bad for your teeth?”, the simple answer is yes. The composition of alcohol, especially in drinks like beer, wine, and cider, can be quite acidic and contribute towards eroding enamel. Enamel is the protective layer on your teeth that stops your teeth from feeling as much pain or sensitivity.
When this enamel is worn away by alcohol, your teeth could be subjected to a greater amount of pain due to heightened sensitivity and, more concerningly, tooth decay. Alcohol and gum disease are linked, meaning gum sores and ulcers are another indicator your teeth need looking at, perhaps due to your alcohol intake.
If teeth corrosion is something you’re suffering from, this is something that can be addressed by Pure Smiles. We are adept at disease prevention dentistry to avoid tooth pain and we can stop the decay in its tracks before it’s too late.
Not only this but alcohol can stain your teeth so that they become discoloured. Imagine drinking red wine regularly and not removing the stains from your teeth sufficiently afterwards; there’s likely to be some remnants of the drink left on your teeth even if you brush so you should not overdo it.
Pure Smiles can get your teeth’ colour back to what it was with our whitening procedure. Our dental experts will apply a gel to your teeth, let that set and shine a blue light on it so the yellow-ish colour is removed from your teeth’s surface in a safe and effective way.
Excessive Alcohol Consumption and Tooth Loss
When alcohol is present in your mouth, there is a higher chance that plaque will linger between your teeth, potentially leading to serious problems. Tooth loss is one of those problems, so not only should you clean your teeth regularly, but you should watch how much alcohol you consume as well.
It’s important to limit your alcohol intake. Of course, this can have other bodily benefits as well, but it can greatly improve the state of your teeth and reduce the likelihood that your teeth will decay or stain. Sticking to only occasionally drinking alcohol is the best approach for your physical and mental well-being.
If the worst-case scenario occurs and you need a tooth removed and an implant fitted, we can achieve this in a pain-free and simple manner. There will be a short recovery time but it’s a small price to pay for improved oral health.
Speak to the Pure Smiles team today to find out more.
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