Whether it’s heavy or moderate, consumption of alcohol is
never considered as a healthy activity. Even the perfectly healthy persons are
advised to stay away from alcohol as much as they can. It can cause damages to
brain, liver and the level of blood sugar.
However, teeth and gums are the direct victims of alcohol
consumption. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol
consumption can result in tooth decay, gum disease, mouth sores and even oral
cancer.
Research suggests that heavy consumption of alcohol can
result in the quicker buildup of plaque. So, drinkers are more likely to lose
their teeth than the people who do not drink. There has been a debate over how
moderate consumption affects the oral health. Researchers found out that
moderate usage can also increase the risk of oral issues.
Alcohol and staining
Alcohol may not stain the teeth directly, but it contains
the acid which reacts with the tooth enamel to weaken it. Now, we often eat a
lot of foods which contain chromogens (the main culprit behind teeth staining).
With tooth enamel weakened due to acid in alcohol, chromogens find their way
into the pores on teeth that are exposed due to absence of enamel.
Hence, if you have the habit of mixing alcohol with the dark
colored soda or red wine, you will get your teeth stained more quickly. Soft
drinks of dark colors can also do the same since those drinks also contain acid
at higher extent.
Sugar content
One of the items that pose serious threat to teeth and their
health is sugar. The reason is that harmful bacteria in mouth feed on sugar.
When sugar is provided, the bacteria are then ready to wreak havoc on teeth.
Since alcoholic drinks are saturated with sugar, they can seriously impact the
oral health and teeth strength.
Dehydration
Dehydration is one of the most forgotten side effects of
alcohol consumption. Nevertheless, it is always more than ready to give the
dental patients a tough time. Even the healthy ones would start feeling bad due
to the dehydration caused by alcohol consumption. Due to this dehydration, bacteria
in the mouth stick with the teeth and do their job of destruction. As a result,
the tooth loss becomes an inevitable outcome.
You should not consume alcohol at first place. The reason is
that it’s a purposeless enjoyment which serves no benefit. In fact, it’s loaded
with the hazards that one would really want to avoid. However, if you have
somehow consumed alcohol, and now you are having this severe dehydration, you
can quickly drink a lot of water in order to replenish saliva flow in the
mouth.
