Alcohol is one of the most common pastimes in the United States. In fact, 50 percent of Americans have drank in the past month and over 70 percent have in the past year. While alcohol is fine when had in moderation, it turns out that it is actually very bad for our teeth. In fact, alcohol attacks our teeth in many different ways and can even result in tooth decay, requiring your teeth to be removed and replaced with dental implants. Today, Dr. Anthony Dailley is blogging from Berkeley, CA to talk about some of the ways that alcohol may be attacking your teeth.
Don’t Let Alcohol Ruin Your Smile
Alcohol affects our teeth in many different ways. Some of these ways include:
1. The Carbonation
There are some types of alcohol that are actually carbonated. This includes beverages such as champagne and some spritzers. What makes these types of drinks dangerous is the fact that they are carbonated using carbonic acid, which can attack the enamel of your teeth and weaken their ability to defend themselves from other oral conditions.
2. The Sugar Content
Some alcoholic beverages are also full of sugar. What makes sugar dangerous is the fact that it attracts bacteria to your teeth. This bacteria uses the sugar to create acids that will proceed to eat away at your teeth. This condition is called tooth decay, and it can compromise your oral health to the point where you may lose a tooth.
3. Mixing with Soda
One of the most common beverages that alcohol is mixed with is soda. What makes soda dangerous is the fact that it is full of sugar and is carbonated using carbonic acid. While the carbonic acid eats away at your teeth, the sugar is attracting acid forming bacteria to your teeth, causing even more damage to your teeth.
4. Dry Mouth
Because alcohol is a diuretic, it can actually increase the rate at which you urinate as well as dry out your mouth. What many people don’t realize is that our saliva is the first line of defense our mouth has against bacteria. If your mouth is dry, you are also losing a vital defense mechanism, and you can even experience bad breath as a result.
5. Forgetting to Brush
The first thing that tends to happen after a long night of drinking is you get home and throw yourself on your bed, forgetting all about brushing your teeth. However, it is very important that you don’t let this happen as failing to brush leaves all of the sugar and acids that you got from drinking on your teeth, where they will continue to cause trouble until you brush in the morning.
Schedule a Dental Implant Consultation in Berkeley
So long as you are sure to drink alcohol in moderation, it is unlikely to have any real negative effects on your oral health. However, if you do drink too much and happen to lose a tooth because of it, you may qualify for treatment with dental implants. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made from titanium that can help provide you with realistic feeling replacement teeth. If you would like to learn more about how dental implants may benefit you, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider, Dr. Anthony Dailley, today.