Can alcohol compromise dental implant placement?

Excess drinking is bad for dental as well as general health

Most of the advice from dentists regarding factors which may risk the health of a newly placed dental implant focus on smoking as the main problem, and for good reasons. Alcohol consumption is also often mentioned but almost in passing so we thought we would take a look specifically at the effects that alcohol can have when dental implants are due to be placed.

Whilst there should be no real problem if the patient simply has a few glasses of wine or pints of beer from time to time, heavier consumption of alcohol is a different matter and can risk the newly placed implant failing. The most direct problem caused by alcohol is that of a dry mouth; whilst this is easily rectified, when dental implants are going through the healing process, this dryness allows bacteria to build up in our mouths as there is insufficient saliva to wash it away. This increase in bacteria means that the risk of gum disease is greatly increased and may well have disastrous consequences for the implant. On a longer term basis though, excessive alcohol consumption can have significant consequences for our general overall health and can cause a number of illnesses such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice and high blood pressure. These alone, along with potential side effects from medications to treat them, is likely to mean that our bodies ability to heal is reduced significantly.

In many heavy drinkers also, there is a likelihood that nutritional intake will be poor resulting in insufficient vitamins and minerals in the diet which will also reduce the bodies ability to heal.

Whilst these factors above are more likely to affect heavy drinkers, those in the ‘medium’ drinkers category are advised to cut down their consumption of alcohol at least for the period surrounding the tooth implant procedure too.

As we have said before, smoking is, generally speaking, a higher risk factor. However, as many ex smokers know, drinking is also likely to cause a weakening of willpower and it is often when under the influence of alcohol that they are most likely to revert to their smoking habit. This will then not only cause dry mouth but also narrowing of the blood vessels in the area of the procedure which reduces the blood flow so essential for speedy healing of the wound.

So, whilst above all, smoking should be avoided, alcohol consumption should be reduced too if at all possible. Whilst it is usually possible from smell alone, for a dentist to detect if the patient is a smoker, this is not always the case with a patient who drinks. If you are thinking of having dental implants placed and are more than a light drinker, it is best to consult with your implant dentist and be honest about your alcohol intake and discuss with them the best way to approach the procedure to ensure the greatest success.

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