St. Patrick’s Day, the holiday where the largest amount of alcohol is consumed is just around the corner. Believe it or not, drinking beer can impact the look of your healthy smile. For the March holiday, we’re bound to see a lot of green-stained teeth and possibly some dental emergencies due to drunken behavior, which is more common than you may think. Here are the benefits and drawbacks to drinking beer when it comes to your teeth.
The Drawbacks to Drinking Beer
- Beer Acidity: The carbonation in beer can turn into carbonic acid in your mouth, which wears away at your teeth’s enamel.
- Beer Causes Dehydration: Drinking alcohol of any kind causes dehydration and decreases saliva reproduction, which your mouth needs to wash away food, bacteria, and sugars.
- Beer is Packed with Sugar: We may not be able to taste the sweetness but beer is loaded with sugar, which is harmful to your teeth.
- Beer Causes Tooth Staining: Dark beers can stain your tooth’s enamel, causing discoloration.
The Benefits of Drinking Beer
If consumed in moderation, beer can provide some health benefits for your teeth especially if it’s craft beer. Craft beers have been shown to assist with digestion, minimize kidney stones, and increase good cholesterol. Some health benefits extent to the teeth as well.
- Beer is High in Calcium: Calcium promotes strong bones, nails, hair, and your teeth. Craft beers, along with lighter ales and IPAs will offer the most calcium to your diet.
- Beer Kills Bacteria: The good acids in your brew have similar properties to the fluoride you find in your toothpaste and have the tendency to kill off bad bacteria.
Make sure you’re practicing a healthy oral routine, especially if you choose to consume a lot of beer on St. Patrick’s Day. Drink water in between each alcoholic drink, brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss at the end of the night. If you’re up for a routine exam, schedule a dentist appointment with C&C Dentistry for a cleaning today.