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Having a habit of drinking alcohol can increase the risk of various chronic diseases, especially liver disease. Therefore, if you want to apply the principles of a healthy life, you should limit drinking this type of drink. Apart from being able to damage the liver, research shows that alcohol also has a negative impact on oral health.
Curious how alcohol can affect the health of your teeth and mouth? Check out the following explanation.
Drinking alcohol can upset the balance of good bacteria in the mouth
Reporting from NBC News, New York University experts conducted a survey of oral health on 270 people who have a habit of drinking alcoholic beverages, both heavy and moderate drinkers.
The results showed that moderate or heavy drinkers could develop chronic disease later in life. The various types of diseases are cancer, heart disease, and liver disease. Not only that, they are also at risk for toothlessness and gum disease.
Jiyoung Ahn, an epidemiologist who participated in the study, argues that alcoholic beverages have an adverse effect on the microbiome in the mouth.
Microbiome is a collection of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in the human body. Not all microorganisms are bad. There are several of them that are needed by the body to help digest food and protect the body from various diseases. So, these microorganisms are known as the good bacterial microbiome.
Then, quoted from Healthline, Dr. Harold Katz, a dentist in California and a bacteriologist at the UCLA School of Dentistry explains the link between alcohol and the balance of bacteria in the mouth. In the human mouth, there are billions of bacteria, both those that are beneficial and those that cause tooth decay, gum disease, plaque, and bad breath.
Good bacteria in the mouth - one of them Lactobacillales- work continuously in producing proteins that can suppress the growth of bad bacteria. Unfortunately, when someone consumes alcohol, there will be a reaction that can weaken the defenses of good bacteria so that the balance of good bacteria in the mouth can be disturbed.
Then what will happen?
The more often alcoholic drinks are consumed, the amount Lactobacillales will be less and less. Instead, various types of bad bacteria such as Actinomyces, Leptotrichia, Cardiobacterium, and Neisseria to be more. This condition can cause various problems with the mouth and teeth.
The mildest effects of drinking alcohol are dry mouth and bad breath. Good bacteria play an important role in saliva. Apart from keeping the mouth moist, the bacteria present in saliva also prevent bad bacteria from producing anaerobic sulfur - a substance that causes bad breath.
The bacteria present in saliva also play a role in maintaining acidity in the mouth and channeling essential minerals to keep teeth and gums healthy. If the number of these good bacteria is reduced, the gums will become prone to problems and the teeth will become more easily shaken and dislodged.
However, each level of bacterial reaction in the mouth is different. This depends on the type of alcoholic drink you drink. Problems with the mouth and teeth will be more at risk if you also don't maintain good oral health.
Bacterial imbalance can also cause more severe conditions if not addressed or prevented. Cavities and bleeding gums cause open sores that allow bad bacteria to enter the bloodstream. This can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, erectile dysfunction (impotence), and even a baby born with low birth weight because toxins from bacteria can cross the placenta.
To prevent this from happening, you should start reducing alcohol consumption. Also, avoid using mouthwash that contains alcohol. Routinely clean your teeth and check your teeth and gums to the doctor. You can maintain a balance of good bacteria in your mouth by eating foods that contain probiotics such as yogurt or kefir.
