We’ve all heard about the dangers of too much alcohol consumption. Studies go back and forth about whether alcohol in moderation is good for your health. As orthodontists, we can tell you about the effects alcohol can have on your oral health. While alcohol in moderation is considered okay, it can still have an effect on your teeth without proper oral hygiene.
Fergus Orthodontics can repair your dental issues, but your oral health also depends on your eating and drinking habits and whether you practice good oral hygiene. Can alcohol affect your teeth? Most definitely! Here are some facts about how the long-term effects of alcohol consumption can affect your oral health.
Is Alcohol Bad For Your Teeth?
Yes, alcohol can cause cavities because there is often a lot of sugar in alcohol. Whether it’s wine, cocktails, or just beer, alcohol is often loaded with sugar. That sugar causes plaque, which can weaken your tooth’s enamel, the hard outer shell that protects the living interior of the tooth. Regular alcohol use combined with poor oral hygiene can accelerate tooth decay, leading to more cavities.
Alcohol can also dehydrate you, leading to less saliva production. Saliva helps wash away plaque and reacts with the fluoride in your toothpaste to strengthen your enamel. Low saliva, or dry mouth, can accelerate tooth decay.
If you consume alcohol, even in moderation, make sure you floss and brush your teeth well afterward to help prevent tooth decay. Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep your mouth moist and reduce plaque buildup from the sugars in alcohol.
Can I Drink Beer With Braces?
Brushing and flossing with braces can be difficult, so drinking alcohol with braces can speed up tooth decay if you have them. Make sure you brush and floss thoroughly after consuming alcohol.
Alcohol And Staining
Regular consumption of colored alcohol, such as red wine, dark beer, or cocktails, can stain your teeth. It can also stain clear ceramic braces, brackets, and clear aligners over time, though both products are designed to be stain resistant. However, you should remove your clear aligners if you are going to drink alcohol that isn’t clear.
Alcohol can also stain your teeth’ enamel. Again, this is why brushing after consuming alcohol is so important. You can also drink water or chew sugarless gum to increase your saliva and wash away some of the alcohol that would stain your teeth immediately after drinking. Just make sure you practice good oral hygiene on your teeth before bed!
How Does Alcohol Affect The Mouth
Alcohol and tobacco, when used together, intensify their damaging effects on oral cells and raise the likelihood of oral cancer. Specifically, alcohol dries out the cells and allows the tobacco to penetrate the cells easier and damage them more, leading to oral cancer. Tobacco products alone are known to increase the risk of oral cancer. Using alcohol with tobacco makes it worse.
Oral Care And Braces Jonesboro AR
Alcohol can have an effect on your teeth and mouth if it is used excessively over time. The best way to prevent problems with your oral health is to keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum and brush your teeth after alcohol consumption. Drinking water before and after drinking alcohol can help prevent dry mouth, which can lead to dental issues.
Fergus Orthodontics is available to our Jonesboro, AR, patients who have questions about consuming alcohol or other food or drinks during braces treatment. If you would like to get started on your own treatment, start by scheduling a free consultation with us. We will be here to answer any questions you have throughout your treatment!
