Contents:
- Medical Video: A dentist reveals why you should avoid mouthwash with alcohol
- Drinking alcohol can disrupt the balance of good bacteria in the mouth
- Then what will happen?
Medical Video: A dentist reveals why you should avoid mouthwash with alcohol
Having a habit of drinking alcohol can increase the various risks of chronic diseases, especially liver disease. Therefore, if you want to apply the principle of healthy living you should limit drinking this type of drink. Besides being able to damage the liver, research shows that alcohol also has a negative impact on oral health.
Curious about how alcohol can affect the health of your teeth and mouth? See the explanation below.
Drinking alcohol can disrupt the balance of good bacteria in the mouth
Reporting from NBC News, New York University experts conducted an oral health survey on 270 people who have the habit of drinking alcoholic beverages, both heavy and moderate drinkers.
The results show that moderate or heavy drinkers can get chronic diseases later on. Various types of diseases are cancer, heart disease, and liver disease. Not only that, they are also at risk of toothlessness and gum disease.
Jiyoung Ahn, an epidemiologist who participated in the study argued that alcoholic beverages had a detrimental effect on the microbiome in the mouth.
Microbiomes are collections of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in the human body. Not all microorganisms are bad. There are some of them that are needed by the body to help digest food and protect the body from various diseases. So, this microorganism is known as a good bacterial microbiome.
Then, quoted from Healthline, Dr. Harold Katz, a dentist in California and a bacteriologist at the UCLA School of Dentistry, explained the link between alcohol and the balance of bacteria in the mouth. Inside 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 satunya one of them Lactobacillales- works 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 good bacterial defenses so that the balance of good bacteria in the mouth can be disrupted.
Then what will happen?
The more often alcoholic drinks are consumed, the amount Lactobacillales will be less. Instead, various types of bad bacteria like Actinomyces, Leptotrichia, Cardiobacterium, and Neisseria become more. This condition can cause various problems in the mouth and teeth.
The mildest effect of drinking alcohol is dry mouth and bad breath. Good bacteria play an important role in saliva. In addition to keeping the mouth moist, bacteria that are in saliva also prevent bad bacteria from producing anaerobic sulfur - that is, substances that cause bad breath.
Bacteria in saliva also play a role in maintaining acidity in the mouth and channeling important minerals so that the teeth and gums remain healthy. If the number of good bacteria is reduced, the gums become susceptible to problems and the teeth will become more easily shaken and dislodged.
However, each level of bacterial reaction in the mouth varies. This depends on the type of alcoholic drink you drink. Problems with the mouth and teeth will be more risky if you also don't maintain good oral health.
Bacterial imbalances can also cause more severe conditions if not immediately addressed or prevented. Cavities and bleeding gums cause open wounds that allow bad bacteria to enter the bloodstream. This can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, erectile dysfunction (impotence), and even babies born with low weight because toxins from bacteria can cross the placenta.
To prevent this from happening, you should start reducing consumption of alcoholic beverages. Also, avoid using mouthwash containing alcohol. Regularly clean your teeth and do a dental and gum examination to the doctor. You can maintain the balance of good bacteria in your mouth by eating foods that contain probiotics such as yogurt or kefir.
