Alcohol can have a major effect on the teeth. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Preventions states that moderate alcohol consumption for women is one drink a day and two drinks a day for men. Any more than that would be considered heavy drinking. Heavy drinking can cause gum disease, tooth decay, and mouth sores. Alcohol can cause staining to the teeth, and mouth dryness
Teeth-Staining
Mixed drinks such as an Adios, Margarita, Long Island Iced Tea, and Midori Sours can definitely stain your teeth. Even dark drinks such as rum and coke. The reason why is because these have sugar and have some sort of acidity in them. These drinks can wear out the enamel of your teeth. This in turn makes your teeth even more vulnerable to stains.
Mouth Dryness
Taking shots of liquor can develop mouth dryness. The reason is that liquor can contain high alcohol content. High alcohol content can decrease the number of good bacteria in your mouth, thus changing the microbiome and increasing the bad bacteria in your mouth. This in turn can reduce the amount of saliva in your mouth.
The Light, the Dark, and the IPAs
Different types of beer-related beverages can have different effects on the teeth. Dark beer tends to cause erosion and staining to the enamel of the teeth. Light beer tends to cause fewer stains on the teeth. This is due to light beers having an even more high water content making them less acidic. IPAs or beers that are high in hops have antioxidants in them. Antioxidants such as tannins can impede the growth of and possibly kill plaque-causing bacteria. This can result in making your teeth cleaner and protecting your gum health
Hard Seltzers and the Teeth
Hard seltzers are popular nowadays because they are low in calories and tasty. Hard seltzers for those who don’t know are sparkling (carbonated water) that is combined with alcohol and fruit flavoring. The question that comes to mind is “Are hard seltzers good or bad for your teeth?”. Studies have shown that hard seltzers can be bad for your teeth. Sparkling water is more acidic than still water. Also, with the addition of sweetness and flavoring, hard seltzers can erode the enamel and cause damage to oral health.
The Lesser of the Bad
Although there are alcohols that can be harmful to the teeth, there are some that won’t be very harmful to the teeth. The alcohols that are not harmful to your teeth are light beer, gin and tonic, and Cava. Light beer tends to have high water content and low acidity levels that can reduce potential damage to the teeth. Gin and tonic loaded with ice is a good options, because they are both clear liquids. The clear liquids neutralize the risk of staining. Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine that has a bitter flavor but tastes like champagne. Cava has a higher pH level (3.5 and 4) compared to the pH level of 7 that is found in water. Compared to other wines, Cava has a lower risk of getting the teeth stained.