Is beer really bad for teeth?

[Kml1998]

I am wondering if beer is bad for your teeth as Google gives mixed answers that it isn't bad since no sugar and some say it is bad

 

[Gordon]

Well, most of them will contain some fermentable carbohydrates, so not ideal. However most people don't consume beer that frequently so it's not that important. If you were drinking so much beer that it was affecting your teeth you probably have other more pressing issues...

 

[Kml1998]

@Gordon okay thanks, so would it have to be a crazy amount of beer?

 

[letsconnect]

@Gordon might not be the best person to ask on the topic of beer sales (potential Conflict of Interest and all that)

 

[letsconnect]

Only joking!

 

[Gordon]

Define a crazy amount of beer? The thing with tooth decay is that it's not so much the amount of carbs that are the problem, it's the frequency. Sitting supping one pint of beer very slowly over a 6 hr period (I mean it's not likely but still...) would do more harm (to your teeth) than guzzling 5 or 6 pints in a few minutes.

 

[Kml1998]

@Gordon okay thanks, I've heard it's good to swish your mouth out with water in between drinks, is this true?

 

[Gordon]

I wouldn't get hung up about it unless you're regularly doing a lot of beers on a nightly basis. A few pints once (or twice) a week won't make a huge difference to your teeth.

If you're regularly doing lots of beers nightly then it's not your teeth you need to worry about.

 

[Kml1998]

@Gordon okay thanks, what makes alcoholics have bad teeth?

 

[Gordon]

Not many alcoholics drink beer, not enough alcohol and too much "bulk", they usually go more for wines or spirits.
Generally it's because they don't brush their teeth at all. They regularly throw up, so a nice regular acid wash over the teeth, their diets are normally pretty poor with a high carbohydrate intake.

 

[Kml1998]

@Gordon okay thanks, I drink around 5-6 beers 2-3 times a week and am just worried incase that is going to make my teeth decay or fall out. I brush 2 times a day and floss

 

[Kml1998]

@Gordon should I be worried?

 

[Gordon]

Well, yes, but not about your teeth...

The risks of drinking too much

The risks of drinking more than the recommended limits include cancer, liver disease, heart disease and stroke.

www.nhs.uk

 

[Kml1998]

@Gordon thanks I'll have a read. Will that amount cause my teeth to decay and fall out? I do brush 2x a day and floss

 

[Gordon]

Will it make them decay? Probably increases your decay rate. Depending on the rest of your diet it won't make a huge difference.
Will it make them fall out. Not really, that'll need you to have periodontal disease which can take decades to get to the "teeth falling out" stages.

 

[Kml1998]

@Gordon okay thanks, so would you say it's not as bad as drinking cola everyday?

 

[Gordon]

Feels like we're going in circles here. It's not the amount, it's the frequency. Cola has a lot of acid (and sugar if it's not diet) in it Sipping a can over a few hours is really really bad. Guzzling a can down in a oner once a day is probably not as bad as sipping beer over a 5-6 hr period.

 

[Kml1998]

@Gordon okay thanks Gordon, appreciate it