The Effect Of Alcohol On Your Teeth

While more and more attention is being spent focusing on the evils of smoking cigarettes and tobacco products in general, many of the other legally obtainable drugs that we live with become neglected, and their use and even abuse is not being concentrated on. That is why you will have a million results if you search about the dental ills of smoking, but you may have to look around quite a bit before you find a similar article about the dental effects of alcohol and alcoholism.alcohol-tobaccon

Alcohol

You can hear many alcoholics and pub regulars gloat about how alcohol does not damage your teeth. And they are right, in letter, if not in spirit. Pure alcohol, even 100% alcohol, does not corrode teeth, it is something that we humans have evolutionarily built defenses against, what with most plant matter breaking down into the intoxicating substance. But how many of us drink pure grain alcohol, or disinfectant? Mostly, we drink beers, liquors, Whiskey, cocktails, or a nice glass of wine with dinner. And these products have sugars and acids that will break down your enamel, and which are not good for your teeth.

Alcoholism

Even worse for your teeth than the actual substance itself is the lifestyle that accompanies frequent alcohol abuse. Usually alcoholism leads to poor oral hygiene, and a neglect of teeth, which is bad for the usual reasons. Aside from this, drinking alcohol  results in a drying out of your mucus membranes, which is not good for your teeth, as it is not good for the tissue surrounding your teeth. And if the periodontal tissue is weak, you will start to lose teeth, and if you are not taking care of your teeth because you are drunk all the time, infections will start to set in.

Is it a problem?

damaged-teethIf you drink regularly, that may not necessarily be a problem. You may be a bartender, or you may be from a culture (like many Eastern Europeans) where drinking regularly is an acceptable, socially even beneficial thing to do, and thus you may not be addicted to alcohol, but it may be a regular part of your life. This is not a problem, and your teeth will not start to fall out on their own. Be aware of how much you drink, and know the effects that has on your physiology. Make sure your mouth stays lubricated, drink more water if necessary, and be sure to brush your teeth just as much as normal.

But if you find that certain aspects of your life just do not work without alcohol, then it may be time to consider alcohol counseling. Not so much for your teeth, as for your mental and societal health, and for the sake of your loved ones.

 

sources&images: 1.2. 3.

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