Alcohol Increases Mouth Disease-Causing Mouth Bacteria
A lot of research has looked at people who drink every day. These studies are often compared to those who do not drink. Some findings from the Perlmutter Cancer Center in New York City show that good bacteria, or microbes, decrease in people who drink. It is also found that harmful bacteria in the mouth rise in regular drinkers. The study shows there are over 700 types of bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria can help stop several diseases if they are balanced.
Many tiny living things live in our mouths. They help us stay healthy and fight illness, including cancer. Some bad germs, like Bacteroides, Actinomyces, and Neisseria, are in people who drink a lot. These people have fewer good germs, like Lactobacillales, which are important for health.
An imbalance of microbes in the mouth can lead to problems like bad breath and tooth decay. Harmful bacteria can hurt a person’s health. A downside of drinking alcohol is that it can cause a dry mouth. Saliva is important because it keeps the mouth healthy. It helps prevent bad breath, protects against tooth decay, and provides minerals to teeth and gums. People who drink alcohol may produce less saliva, which can lead to issues in the mouth.
Having too many bad bacteria can hurt your mouth and health. It can cause heart issues and stomach problems. A sign of this is bleeding gums, which is linked to heart disease. When gums bleed, they form an open wound. This allows harmful bacteria to enter the blood and can lead to heart or nerve problems.
One easy way to avoid the bad effects of drinking is to drink plenty of water. Water helps wash away what is left from your drink. It also keeps your mouth moist, which can help keep good bacteria in your mouth healthy.
Dr. Ahn is the Associate Director at the Perlmutter Cancer Centre. She and her team studied 1,044 adults aged 55 to 87. They examined the types of germs in the mouths of these people. This group included 270 people who do not drink, 614 who drink a little, and 160 who drink a lot. The study does not distinguish between those who drink beer, wine, or other drinks. The results show a clear increase in harmful germs in the mouths of people who drink.
The research cannot show if changing the mix of the microbiome can help drinkers have better bacteria levels. Good bacteria in the mouth can stop some diseases. We need to study this more to understand it better. It is still not clear if alcohol removes good bacteria or if it helps bad bacteria grow.
There are several reasons why people who drink alcohol might have a microbe imbalance. One reason is that the acid in alcohol can hurt the good bacteria in the mouth. Also, when people drink alcohol, it changes into chemicals like acetaldehydes. These harmful substances may cause an imbalance in the microbiome.
