This two-part article series explains what the health of your teeth and gums can tell a dental healthcare professional about your lifestyle and the bad habits you may have.

Welcome back to the second installment of this two-part article series on the toll unhealthy lifestyles take upon the health of your teeth and gums. In our previous article post, the dentist in Arlington TX discussed teeth grinding, unhealthy eating and addiction: three traps people who hit it hard at work frequently fall into. In this article, we shall look at the dangers faced by those who hit it hard after hours…

2. Hitting it Hard After Hours

There is nothing better than loosening the tie, sitting back with a bunch of friends and knocking back a couple of beers, or cosmopolitans or whatever your poison may be. “Alcohol is a fantastic social lubricant and, because it acts as a central nervous system depressant, serves to relax one,” explains the dentist in Arlington TX. It’s then not hard to understand why a beer (or three) is especially welcome after a long and stressful day at the office!

It’s when alcohol becomes synonymous with ‘unwinding’ that lifestyles go from balanced to seriously compromised. “There’s nothing wrong with having the occasional drink with friends,” says the dentist in Arlington TX. “But most people don’t know when to draw the line. Alcohol becomes a coping mechanism; a way to escape and even a form of rebellion when one spends their entire day in a highly demanding and stressful work environment.”

Dentist in Arlington TX: Excessive Drinking

“For many reasons, heavy drinking has a terrible impact upon oral health and hygiene,” say the dentist in Arlington TX. “Most alcoholic beverages contain a lot of sugar and are very acidic. The sugar encourages oral bacteria to flourish, while the acid softens your dental enamel, leaving it more vulnerable to decay and cavity-formation.”

In addition to this, alcohol causes ‘dry mouth’. “The enzymes in your saliva act as a natural defense against bacteria,” explains dentist Arlington TX. “Xerostomia or ‘dry mouth’ impedes the healthy production of saliva, which leaves your teeth and gums incredibly vulnerable to decay.”

Dentist in Arlington TX: Bad Habits and Poor Oral Hygiene

It’s not only the direct impact hard drinking has upon your oral health. Hitting it hard after hours is also linked with other bad habits, such as smoking, poor oral hygiene and unhealthy eating. “If you stagger home at 5am, chances are you’re going to skip brushing and flossing and go straight to bed with a half-eaten bag of chips still clutched tightly in your one hand,” says the dentist in Arlington TX.

Drug abuse is also a problem amongst people who hit the pubs and clubs after hours.

The Dentist in Arlington TX: Achieving the Ideal Balance

There nothing wrong with having the occasional party. In fact, it’s essential for your overall health, even if you do find yourself getting a little tipsy. The socializing, dancing and unwinding serves to de-stress, lower blood pressure and increase ‘happy’ hormones. But, as with everything in life, we need to establish a healthy balance. “Hitting it hard at work is fine if you swap the nicotine and caffeine with a solid gym session,” says the dentist in Arlington TX. “The latter is a far more effective stress reliever anyway.”

Look after yourself well and you will find that your general and oral health will reflect your lifestyle. “What this means,” says the dentist in Arlington TX, “is more energy, greater emotional vitality, a stronger mind and… a beautiful award-winning smile!”