People who suffer from alcohol dependency tend to have higher plaque levels on their teeth and are THREE times as likely to suffer from permanent tooth loss.

  • Tooth Decay

Alcohol can also lead to tooth decay, gum disease and oral cancer. Alcohol stops the body’s ability to properly fight against germs and disease. Alcohol, especially heavy use, exposes your mouth to increased levels of sugars and acids found in the drink. While occasional alcohol use won’t necessarily cause problems, you should still take precautions. 

When these sugars combine with natural bacteria in the mouth they form an acid that can attack the hard tissues of our teeth including enamel and break them down.

This is especially true when the teeth are constantly exposed to sugars and starches in alcohol without a break.

  • Staining

"The color in beverages comes from chromogens,”

Chromogens attach to tooth enamel that’s been compromised by the acid in alcohol, and stain teeth. One way to bypass this is to drink alcoholic drinks with a straw.

  • Dryness

Drinks high in alcohol, like spirits, dry the mouth. Saliva keeps teeth moist and helps to remove plaque and bacteria from the tooth’s surface. Try to stay hydrated by drinking water while you drink alcohol.

The truth that we produce more saliva during the day than at night gives us the belief that drinking during the day will likely speed up the deterioration of our teeth, regardless if we brush or not. 

  • No type of alcohol is better or worse than another, it is the alcohol itself that leads to the damage, regardless of whether it is in wine, beer or spirits.
  • After drinking alcohol, it’s important to rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth to remove any of the alcohol from between teeth and gums.

So be warned

  • If you are going to drink, brush and floss as soon after as possible.