Let’s face it, many people in Chicago love to have a good time. There are plenty of amazing bars and restaurants throughout the city serving up incredible cocktails and drinks for people who are 21 or over. While it’s fun to toss back a drink with friends once in a while, our LGBTQ-friendly dentist in Wrigleyville wants you to better understand how alcohol impacts your teeth.
Its Dehydrating Effects
Just like coffee is a dehydrating drink, alcohol is the same. It dries out your mouth and can ultimately decrease your saliva production. Keep in mind that a lack of hydration can also cause effects on your cognitive function, so you’ll want to make sure that you drink at least one glass of water for every drink that you have.
Alcohol is Acidic
A healthy pH level is considered to be around 7, but most alcoholic drinks range from 3-5 on the pH scale. This means that it is more likely to erode your enamel, especially if it gets the chance to sit on the surface of your teeth for a long time. Adding citrus to your drink is even worse for acidity, as lemons have a pH balance of 2!
Alcohol Can Stain
Not only can red wine cause your teeth to develop stains, but other types of alcohol including beer can also harm your teeth’s whiteness. Visiting our LGBTQ-friendly dentist in Wrigleyville can reduce staining, and cutting back on alcohol is an ideal way to keep your teeth white.
For many adults of the legal drinking age, it’s not realistic to completely cut out alcohol, but better understanding its effects can help you properly care for your pearly whites in the future.
