{"id":364,"date":"2022-08-09T23:47:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T23:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drlmetzger.com\/blog\/?p=364"},"modified":"2022-09-20T15:07:08","modified_gmt":"2022-09-20T15:07:08","slug":"alcohol-consumption-and-gum-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drlmetzger.com\/blog\/alcohol-consumption-and-gum-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Alcohol Consumption & Your Risk of Gum Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"person<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As you may already know, drinking too much alcohol is bad for your overall health. It can lead to serious health conditions like liver disease and high blood pressure. This bad habit can also put your teeth and gums at risk of oral health issues. To help you maintain a healthy smile, read on to learn more about how overdoing it with alcohol may result in an unhealthy smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Alcohol Consumption & Gum Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gum disease<\/a> occurs when oral bacteria attack the gum tissue. This often occurs as the result of improper oral hygiene. When you don\u2019t brush your teeth twice per day and floss every night before bed, this allows plaque to build up. The bacteria in this plaque can do a lot of damage to your smile and leave you with an oral infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies have found that heavy alcohol consumption can lead to a range of oral health problems, including gum disease. Drinking too much can raise someone\u2019s risk because those who do so have fewer \u201cgood\u201d bacteria and more \u201cbad\u201d bacteria in their mouths than nondrinkers. The \u201cbad\u201d bacteria have been shown to be linked to gum disease, heart disease, and cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alcohol consumption also hinders your immune system and slows your body\u2019s natural healing ability. This makes it harder for your gums to fight off infections. Additionally, alcohol consumption also dries the mouth out. This creates an environment in which oral bacteria thrive and can quickly accumulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 Ways to Prevent Gum Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Limiting your alcohol consumption is the best way to prevent it from harming your oral health. Health officials in the United States recommend no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. Along with limiting your alcohol intake, there are some other ways you can lower your risk of gum disease:<\/p>\n\n\n\n