Many people think that a drink now and again isn’t going to really cause them any harm. Even using an alcohol-based mouthwash is even normal for many. However, if you take the time to learn what alcohol really does to the mouth, you can quickly see that it causes far more harm than it would do any good.
If you drink on a regular basis, or still use a mouthwash with alcohol in it, here are the things you need to know so you can stop putting your mouth in peril.
The Effects of Alcohol on Your Mouth
The biggest effect of alcohol on the mouth is the entire oral cavity getting dried out. This increases the susceptibility you have for gum disease and tooth decay. The longer your mouth stays dry, the higher those instances go.
If you can give up alcohol entirely, and switch to an alcohol-free mouthwash, you can significantly decrease how likely your mouth is to suffer from these effects. Alcohol also gets quickly into your bloodstream from the mouth.
This can increase your chances of developing things like oral cancer and diabetes. Your mouth needs saliva to keep it healthy. When you drink or use anything with alcohol in your mouth, it dries up your saliva. That means the protection your mouth has against these larger ailments is down. That can allow those harmful cells to work their way around your mouth, leaving you sick or facing a detrimental prognosis.
If you want to find out a bit more about how much harm alcohol can do to your mouth, contact us. We can schedule a time for you to come in and talk with us about what type of damage your mouth may face as a result of drinking or using products containing alcohol.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (210) 598-8933 today.
