Busting 3 Myths About Alcohol and Oral Health

Everybody enjoys a drink every now and then—some of us more than others. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, but if you aren’t careful, there are some ways that alcohol can start to affect your health.

In particular, there are quite a few misunderstandings about how alcohol can impact people’s oral health. Here’s a blog to correct the record on some of the most common myths about alcohol and your teeth.

Alcohol Can Fight Gum Disease

As you may know, mouthwash has been clinically proven to prevent gum disease by limiting the number of bacteria in the mouth. You may also know that many types of mouthwash contain some amount of alcohol.

Sometimes, people make the assumption that, for this reason, alcohol in itself can prevent gum disease. However, that’s really the opposite of the truth. Drinking alcohol can cause you to become dehydrated, which reduces the amount of saliva in the mouth. This saliva ordinarily acts as the mouth’s natural cleaning agent, and with less of it, you’re more likely to develop gum disease or other oral health problems.

Alcohol Can’t Lead to Disease

Most people are well aware that smoking and tobacco use can lead to cancer, but alcohol doesn’t have quite the same stigma attached to it. However, according to the CDC, alcohol abuse is one of the most common risk factors for oral cancer, second only to tobacco. If you think drinking is harmless, think again.

Alcohol Can Whiten Teeth

Some people will mix a little bit of fruit juice into their cocktails in the hope that the acidity will eat away at stains on their teeth. However, what’s actually likely to happen is that the fruit juice will erode your enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity.

It’s also worth mentioning that many alcoholic drinks can actually stain your teeth. Dark beer and red wine contain pigments that can settle into the enamel, discoloring your smile over time.

As you can see, alcohol has all kinds of negative effects on your oral health. While there’s nothing wrong with indulging now and then, being conscientious about how much you drink is critical to the health of your teeth and gums.

About Our Practice

At Chester County Dental Arts, we want every person who visits our office to feel completely welcome. We believe in offering our patients “no-shame dentistry,” where no matter what oral health issue you’re dealing with, you can expect to receive treatment that is free from judgment. We’re also a multi-specialty practice, offering cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, advanced surgeries, or just about anything else you could need.

If you have any questions about how alcohol can affect your oral health, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (610) 383-1600.