How Does Drinking Alcohol Increase Your Risk of Oral Health Problems?

Many people aren’t aware of how their habits can impact the health of their teeth and gums, which can put their oral health at risk. If you often consume alcoholic beverages, you may be surprised to know that it can increase your risk of several oral health problems and diseases, which is why your dentist in Somerville along with researchers recommends limiting or avoiding any kind of consumption. Read on to learn what clinical studies are saying about the connection between alcoholic beverages and your oral health and how you can keep your mouth safe.

What Do The Studies Say?

A study published in 2018 in Microbiome observed people who consume at least one alcoholic beverage each day and the number of healthy and bad bacteria present in their mouth. They found that drinking alcohol can increase the accumulation of harmful oral bacteria and increase the risk of gum disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Jiyoung Ahn commented on the study, saying “we found that beneficial bacteria disappeared, and several inflammatory bacteria contents increased in heavy alcohol drinkers.” The researchers defined “heavy drinkers” as people who consumed alcohol daily. They concluded that for the benefit of your oral and overall health, be sure to avoid heavy drinking.

What Are The Harmful Effects Of Alcohol On Your Oral Health?

There are countless types of bacteria present in your body, some good and some bad. In your mouth, harmful oral bacteria feed off of sugars and carbohydrates found in your plaque and release waste in the form of inflammation-causing toxins and enamel-eroding acid. When your mouth becomes overwhelmed with these substances, it causes gum disease, cavities, oral cancer, and can increase your risk of a variety of additional medical conditions, including:

• Heart disease
• Respiratory infections
• Alzheimer’s
• Tooth loss

Although Dr. Ahn isn’t able to confirm that improved oral hygiene may help drinkers maintain healthier bacterial balances in their mouth, it definitely can’t hurt.

How Can Your Dentist Help?

The American Dental Association recommends visiting your dentist every six months for checkups and cleanings. During these appointments, your dentist will conduct a thorough examination and oral cancer screening in an attempt to spot the early signs of disease and oral health problems. This is so they can treat the issues sooner rather than later, keeping them from progressing and causing life-threatening situations down the road.

If you consume alcohol daily, it’s vital to keep up with your dental hygiene routine at home as well as scheduling regular visits to your dentist in Somerville. That way, if an issue does develop, they’ll be able to treat it early, before it causes permanent damage to your mouth.

Countless professionals have recommended to cut alcohol consumption down, because it’s connected to poor health outcomes. So, this new year, do what’s best for your body and mouth by resolving to cut out alcohol.

About the Author

Dr. DawnMarie DiGrazia started her career in dentistry as an assistant in 1993 before graduating with her D.M.D. in 2002. She understands that to provide the best patient care, she needs to take the time to get to know everyone that walks through her door. She focuses on thorough preventive dentistry that stops small oral health problems from being able to develop into more serious ones. She is also an active member of professional organizations such as the Academy of General Dentistry. For questions or to schedule a checkup and cleaning, visit Somerset Dental Arts’ website or call 908-722-2999.