Alcohol, Tobacco and Your Oral Health

There are a number of ways that tobacco and alcohol can damage your body as well as your teeth and mouth. Using these products every day can worsen this damage by quite a bit. Staining of the teeth, loss of teeth, gum disease, and oral cancer are all possible outcomes of abusing alcohol and tobacco.

Tobacco

Every time you inhale cigarette smoke, the harmful toxins in the tobacco will stain your enamel and cause it to weaken. Excessive smoking can eventually cause gum disease and cancer including oral cancer, throat cancer, and lung cancer. Chewing tobacco is obviously even worse than smoking because the tobacco has direct contact with the tooth enamel and the soft tissues of the mouth.

Alcohol

Alcohol is very acidic, which also causes weakening of the tooth enamel. Additionally, dark drinks and red wine are notorious for staining the teeth, damaging the aesthetic of your smile. The more often you expose your teeth to these beverages, the worse the damage will be to your smile.

Reversing the Damage

The best way to treat the side effects of alcohol and tobacco is to discontinue or at least limit the use of them. We know that this is difficult and not always possible, so make sure to take proper care of your oral hygiene is the next best way to prevent damage to your teeth, mouth, and soft tissues. This means brushing at least twice a day (perhaps with stain-removing toothpaste), flossing every day, and visit Meadows Family Dentistry every six months for a dental cleaning and a checkup.

For more information on how tobacco and alcohol can damage your teeth, or if you need to make an appointment at our Castle Rock, Colorado general dental office, please contact Meadows Family Dentistry today.