Alcohol can negatively impact your oral health, but there are common misconceptions about the connection.
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Dentists often stress how certain foods and drinks affect the mouth. For instance, many will tell you that sugar decays teeth and calcium enhances them. Still, patients don’t hear much about alcohol’s effects on oral health (if any). This fact has led to various myths surrounding the matter. Fortunately, it’s not hard to separate the facts from the fiction. Your local dentist can even help. Here are five myths about alcohol and oral health and why they aren’t true.
Myth #1: “Alcohol Helps You Stay Hydrated”
The Myth: One popular belief about alcohol is that it hydrates you. “After all,” many think, “isn’t it a refreshing drink?” Alcoholic beverages use water as a base, so the assumption is that their ingredients will keep your mouth moist.
The Truth: In reality, drinks with a high alcohol content can dry out your mouth. Such dryness can then cause bad breath and raise your risk of cavities. Without saliva to moisten your mouth and remove plaque, harmful bacteria can gather on your teeth.
Myth #2: “Adding Citrus Makes Alcohol Healthier for Teeth”
The Myth: Some believe that citrus can make alcohol healthier for teeth. This view likely stems from the idea that lemon juice whitens enamel. If a spritz of lemon or orange can brighten a smile, surely it can also strengthen a grin.
The Truth: Unfortunately, adding citrus to alcohol would only harm your teeth. The ADA notes that even a squeeze of lemon has enough acid to erode tooth enamel. Therefore, adding it to a cocktail will only increase your odds of tooth decay.
Myth #3: “Drinking Alcohol Often Cleanses Your Teeth”
The Myth: Yet another assumption is that alcoholic drinks can cleanse teeth. In particular, the thought is that their contents would kill the bacteria in your mouth. Rubbing alcohol can disinfect a wound, so can’t a beer do something similar for your smile?
The Truth: Truthfully, high alcohol use puts teeth in great danger. Heavy drinkers are more likely to get cavities, as they may suffer dry mouth and neglect their oral hygiene. Furthermore, drinking alcohol can lead people to eat tooth-decaying carbs to satisfy their “munchies.”
Myth #4: “Beer Won’t Stain Your Teeth”
The Myth: While many drinks can stain teeth, some people hold that beer isn’t one of them. It lacks the darkness of red wine and is semi-transparent. As such, the thinking goes that beers will leave your teeth as shiny and white as ever.
The Truth: Unfortunately, beer can (and often does) stain teeth. Many brands feature dark barley and malts that darken enamel. Furthermore, a beer’s chromogens – the chemicals that determine its color – can stain teeth compromised by alcohol’s acidity.
Myth #5: “Alcohol Has No Severe Effects on Oral Health”
The Myth: In some places, a few will assert that alcohol can’t do major damage to your mouth. It may make you drunk or harm your liver, but it won’t seriously harm your oral health. Consequently, drinking will leave your teeth, gums, and other mouth tissues fairly intact.
The Truth: If consumed in excess, alcohol will certainly damage your mouth. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) notes that alcohol is the 2nd most common risk factor for oral cancer. Furthermore, alcoholics have higher levels of teeth plaque and tend to suffer from permanent tooth loss.
Ultimately, you should know how alcohol and oral health relate. That being the case, remember the facts above and visit your local dental practice!