Alcohol consumption and periodontal disease

The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Mine Tezal, Sara G. Grossi, Alex W. Ho, and Robert J. Genc

Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of alcohol consumption on the severity of periodontal disease.

Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study employed 13,198 subjects of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) aged 20 and older who have at least six natural teeth. Alcohol intake was represented both as a continuous variable and dichotomized using 5, 10, 15, and 20 drinks/week as cut-points. Periodontal disease was represented by clinical attachment loss (CAL) and was assessed both as a continuous variable and dichotomized as <1.5 mm and 1.5 mm. Independent effect of alcohol on CAL was assessed by weighted multiple linear and logistic regression analyses adjusting simultaneously for the effects of age, gender, race, education, income, smoking, diet, diabetes, gingival bleeding, number of remaining teeth.

Results: There was a significant linear relationship between number of drinks per week and log CAL (p=0.0001). Odds ratios for the risk of attachment loss using 5, 10, 15, and 20 drinks/week as cut-points were 1.22 [1.02–1.47], 1.39 [1.13–1.71], 1.54 [1.22–1.93], and 1.67 [1.25–2.23], respectively.

Conclusion: Alcohol consumption may be associated with increased severity of CAL in a dose-dependent fashion. Prospective studies and studies of mechanism are needed to confirm the role of alcohol as a risk factor for periodontal disease.

More boys than girls drank alcohol. Teenagers who drink large quantities of alcohol are risking their teeth. A study of the dietary habits of over 400 14-year olds in Birmingham found those who drank heavily were more likely to suffer from dental erosion. This is a chemical dissolving of the teeth which first affects the enamel and then the dentine underneath. The threat can be minimised by good dental hygiene, including brushing the teeth twice a day to remove traces of acid. The condition was also linked to a high intake of acidic foods and drinks, including fizzy drinks, fruit, and ketchup and to vitamin C tablets.

There was a significant link between alcohol consumption in 14-year-olds and dental erosion

Dr Linda Shaw, Birmingham University

A vegetarian diet also appeared to put people at risk. Lead researcher Dr Linda Shaw said patients with bad dental erosion may have to have their teeth crowned. She had seen children who had exposed the nerve in their tooth because the erosion was so bad.

Irreversible

The effects cannot be reversed.

Dr Shaw said: "Most children weren't aware of the effects of eating acidic foods and drinks."

The researchers found 21% of the teenagers drank some wine and 15% some spirits every week.

But 3% said they drank beer or cider between eight and 21 times a week.

The majority of drinkers were boys, making up 59% of those who drank cider.

Almost 80% of the children who responded to the anonymous survey said they did not consume any drinks at all.

Dr Shaw told BBC News Online: "There was a significant link between alcohol consumption in 14-year-olds and dental erosion."

A spokeswoman for the charity Alcohol Concern said: "Alcohol contributes to a whole range of diseases and young people need to be aware of the harm that alcohol can cause."