While some drinks, such as water, herbal tea, and milk, can provide numerous benefits for a set of healthy teeth, the same cannot be said of alcohol. Alcohol, whether on its own or mixed into cocktail blends, may hit the spot on a hot summer day, but classic drinks like a daiquiri, a margarita, or even a Long Island iced tea can wreak havoc on teeth. To protect your teeth during a backyard party or lakeside get-together, experts at Colgate recommend sticking to clear drinks, namely vodka and gin.
While other types of alcohol may be more colorful, clear drinks are favored by dentists for two reasons. According to Colgate’s website, they have a low sugar content and can also kill bacteria inside the mouth. They may even help with bad breath. Clear spirits like vodka and gin contain less sugar because they are distilled. The distillation process removes sugars in spirits, leaving only the pure alcohol to bottle. The sugars only come into play when soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit juices, and cocktail mixes are added to the spirits. Without that sugar, you are free to enjoy the flavor of vodka and sip a glass of gin without fear.
Finding an appropriate balance
While vodka cranberries, screwdrivers, mimosas, and sangria are colorful and sweet, dentists recommend avoiding them because they are loaded with sugar and can leave a sugary film on teeth, which breaks down tooth enamel. For those who want to still enjoy red wine or colorful, sugar-infused cocktails, dentists generally recommend brushing your teeth and flossing before and after drinking to keep them clean. This also removes any clinging residue and decreases the potential for staining. Drinking water in between sips of a cocktail can keep a mouth clean by rinsing out any buildup of sugar and acid.
While alcohol and teeth generally don’t mix, dentists say sticking with basic cocktails causes the least amount of damage to your teeth. This means fans of no-frills drinks like vodka water and a bold gin and tonic — with optional flavor added through zero-sugar soft drinks, juices, and syrups — can enjoy classic spirits in moderation without worrying about long-term effects on their mouths.
