The Effect Of Drinks On Your Oral Health

A look at how different drinks can affect your teeth and gums.

Taking a short break from our ‘ask a dentist’ series, we thought that it would be useful to take a look at how different beverages can have an impact on our teeth and gums, both in a positive and negative way.

We drink for many reasons; for pleasure, for taste and, of course, for survival. Mike Allen Dental in Burton on Trent takes a look below at the more common drinks on offer and the impact that they can have, from a dental perspective.

Beer/lager

Beers and lagers are popular with many people, and, undoubtedly, many gain pleasure from them. It is important to be aware though, that dental problems can occur through drinking too much. Whilst there is a relatively small amount of sugar in beer, the main problem is that alcohol can cause dehydration and result in a dry mouth. This is a perfect breeding ground for gingival bacteria, and can contribute to gum disease.

Wine

Wine has similar problems as mentioned above. Red wine however poses a special problem as, drunk regularly, it is likely to contribute significantly to the discolouration of your teeth. There are whitening treatments available to counteract this, but moderation in the first instance is likely a better approach.

Tea

Tea contains tannin which is a dark substance that can easily lead to stained teeth. Again, whitening may help reverse this, although if you are a long term heavy tea drinker, the staining may be too advanced and dental veneers may be a more effective solution.

Coffee

Coffee has similar staining properties to tea (see above). It is worth noting here too, that many of the chain coffee shops also sell coffee based drinks which contain syrups, chocolate and even caramel. Some have been shown to contain incredibly high levels of sugar, much more than are often found in sugary soft drinks!

Sports drinks

Sports drinks appear to be popular with younger people; often those that do little or no sports ironically. Unfortunately, although often promoted as ‘health giving’, these are some of the worst drinks around for causing tooth decay and related problems. The ‘energy’ in the drinks nearly always comes from very high sugar levels. Our advice would be to use these drinks very infrequently and only for the purposes for which they are designed.

Soft carbonated drinks

Most carbonated drinks contain significant levels of sugar. There is also a body of thought which believes that the actual carbonation can also accelerate the damage done to the enamel caused by these drinks.

Water

Water, water everywhere .. and a good job too. Water is essential for life and is by far the best way to hydrate. Water will also help to keep the mouth moist and saliva helps to wash away bad bacteria and tiny food particles that lodge between the teeth. Children especially, should be encouraged to drink water from a very young age.

We hope that this brief list of drinks and their effects helps you to choose wisely next time you feel thirsty. Remember though, that even with a healthy diet and good cleaning regimen, it is important that you visit our Burton family dentists for a check up on a regular basis to help you maintain excellent oral health.

Please call Mike Allen’s Dental Practice on 01283 845345.