Alcohol and Gum Disease

How Alcohol Can Cause Gum Disease

If someone you know has a problem with alcohol, there are four keys reasons why they may need special dental care and treatment for any long-standing periodontal disease (gum disease):

1. Abuse of alcohol irritates gum tissue.
2. People who drink heavily have a tendency to let proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits lapse. This leads to plaque development, which in turn leads to gum inflammation.
3. Drinking heavily is usually tied to not having a nutritious diet, causing the immune system to not work effectively, allowing oral inflammation to advance.
4. Heavy drinkers are more likely to ignore the early warning signs of gum disease, and to not seek out the treatment they need to prevent gum infection from spreading.

Because infectious oral bacteria travel through your blood stream, fostering inflammation throughout the body, treatment of gum disease will lower the risks of developing other health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain immune system disorders. Studies have demonstrated that when gum health is restored to normal, other disease conditions improve drastically.

Does your loved one or family member complain of having pink, red, puffy, or bleeding gum tissue? Have they noticed their gum tissue pulling away from the base of some teeth? Has it been over six months since they had a professional dental cleaning and their gum tissue examined?

Dr. Jamie Alexander and his compassionate team in Boynton Beach, FL specialize in treating patients with alcohol and substance use disorders. You can expect Dr. Alexander and his team to expertly evaluate their periodontal health and recommend an effective treatment, as well as provide any other counsel they may need. You can learn more about our specialty services at our other website, www.drjamiealexander.com. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please give us a call at 561-732-8877.

Share this Article