Will Beer Hurt Your Teeth?
What You Should Consider About Beer and Your Oral Health
As many of us know, what we eat and drink can have a huge impact on the health of our teeth and gums. Certain beverages like sodas, cocktails, sports drinks, and others can deposit sugar onto the surface of the teeth. When this sugar combines with bacteria in the mouth it creates acid, which erodes the tooth’s surface. Beer can sometimes fall into this category but recent discoveries have found that drinking certain kinds of beer, but always in moderation, can actually be good for our teeth.
The claim that beer may be good for our teeth does not include all different beer styles. With the craft beer industry growing, there are more and more styles of beers to choose from than ever before. Darker beers, like porters and stouts, will have the same staining effect as coffee and red wine mostly due to the roasted malts and barley that these beers contain. Additionally, some darker beers have a higher sugar content, which means more of a chance that the sugar will adhere to the teeth, mix with bacteria and create a higher level of acid that can cause erosion of the tooth as well as cavities.
Beers that are lighter in color on the other hand, like pilsners, do not contain roasted ingredients, which is why they are lighter in color making them much less likely to stain teeth. In addition to lacking additional sugar, these lighter beers also contain more calcium and silicon, which can actually be beneficial in strengthening teeth, nails, hair, and bones. Also, tannins are present in many lighter beers which adds the extra healthy benefit of having anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties.
With these benefits in mind, it is still important to remember to drink beer and any other alcoholic beverage in moderation – overconsumption of even light beers can lead to many medical problems. But the next time you are at the bar or enjoying a drink with friends, think about what affects the different beer styles will have on your oral health. Remembering that darker beers like stouts and porters can cause erosion and lighter beers like pilsners may actually be good for you can also help to narrow down the tap list and choose a beer that will suit your pallet and your oral health needs.
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