It can be difficult to think about the damage your cocktail is doing to your body, let alone your teeth while sipping it by the pool. Aside from staying away from alcoholic drinks altogether, there is no foolproof way to preventing damage to your teeth. That is why enjoying cocktails, wine, and beer in moderation is key. People who have alcohol use disorders usually have higher plaque levels on their teeth and are three times as likely to experience permanent tooth loss.
You may not be a heavy drinker, but you can still suffer damages to your teeth, causing you to run to your Nashua dentist or wherever you are local. Certain alcoholic drinks can cause staining and dryness. Here are some of the worst alcoholic drinks for the health of your teeth.
Mixers
These are things like whiskey and coke, vodka cranberry, bloody marys as well as gin and tonics. Coca-cola has a harsh mixture of carbonation and sugar. Coke also has a low pH level, coming to a solid 2.5. Both drinks are darker in color, which can increase the chances of surface-level staining. As it regards to vodka cranberry cocktails, the cranberry juice houses lots of sugars that can be harmful to your teeth. Cranberry juice also has the ability to stain your teeth because of the red-purple color. Bloody Marys are highly acidic because of its ingredients: vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and other spicy things.
As you might have noticed, drinks high in sugar and acid are the worst things you can do to your teeth. When it comes to mixers and the health of your teeth, stick to Gin and tonics or vodka lime and soda. Gin and tonic are clear liquids, so they decrease the risk of staining your teeth. They also have low acidity levels, meaning this drink will not damage your enamel.
Liquors
Avoiding the mixers and drinking liquors straight may seem like one way to reduce the damage done to your teeth, but liquors can also destroy your enamel. Most liquors may have high levels of sugar, which are very damaging to your teeth. Things like straight vodka, rum, and whiskey are still bad for your enamel. They also dry out your mouth as they decrease saliva production, which makes it harder for your mouth to naturally flush out bacteria and acids.
Red Wine
Red wine is terrible for your teeth. There is no other way to put it. It is very acidic and it is extremely pigmented which can stain your teeth as well as damage your enamel. In addition, it also contains tannins which are an astringent that has a binding effect from the peel of a grape.
White Wine
You may have thought since you cannot enjoy red wine without messing up your teeth, you might as well turn to white wine but that may not be the best option either. White wine is also acidic, which softens your teeth’s enamel. The softening of your enamel makes your teeth more vulnerable to eroding or picking up stains from other foods or drinks. Another thing to consider is that if you drink wine over long periods of time, say one glass a night, you are not giving your mouth a chance to return to its natural pH balance.
Beer
Darker beers are definitely bad for your teeth because they can stain and they can be very acidic. Drinking darker beers over time can be extremely damaging to your teeth but it is not all bad. Light beers with low carbs have the highest water content and lowest acidity levels, so these beers are the best for your teeth when it comes to alcoholic beverages and the health for your teeth.
This does not mean that you cannot enjoy a cocktail, glass of wine, or beer every now and then. All it means is that you most enjoy it in moderation and when you do indulge, do some things that can help prevent damage. Get regular teeth cleanings will make your teeth smoother which means less buildup, fewer stains to settle into your teeth. When you are drinking alcohol, be sure to drink water at the same time. You want to wash away the alcohol in your mouth, so drinking water and giving it a good swish around your mouth will help you do this. Remember drinking alcohol dries out your mouth, so pop in a stick of gum to stimulate saliva production.