Drinking Alcohol Increases Disease-Causing Mouth Bacteria Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Dental Health News Drinking Alcohol Increases Disease-Causing Mouth BacteriaChanges in oral microbes may lead to gum disease, heart problems, and cancer, study says. By Don RaufApril 24, 2018Everyday Health ArchiveFact-CheckedHeavy drinkers in the study had higher levels of harmful bacteria and lower levels of bacteria thought to prevent sickness.Shutterstock (2)Drinking alcohol can throw off the balance of good and bacteria in the mouth and raise your risk for a variety of diseases, according to new research. In a study published April 23, 2018, in the journal Microbiome, scientists at NYU School of Medicine found that people who consume one or more alcoholic beverages daily disrupt a healthy combination of oral microbes, which can lead to gum infection, cancer, or cardiovascular disease. “Our study shows that heavy alcohol drinkers shift the overall composition of their oral microbiome [the community of microorganisms in the mouth] compared with nondrinkers,” says research senior investigator Jiyoung Ahn, PhD, associate director of population science at the NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center in New York City. “Particularly, we found that beneficial bacteria disappeared, and several inflammatory bacteria contents increased in heavy alcohol drinkers.” The study defined heavy drinkers as women and men who had more than one or two drinks per day, respectively. “Heavy alcohol drinking is a well-established risk factor for multiple diseases, including cancers,” says Dr. Ahn. “Our study provides another scientific reason to avoid heavy alcohol drinking for maintaining a healthy oral microbiome, which is important to our health.” Good Versus Bad Bacteria More than 700 different species of bacteria and some species of fungi live in the mouth. Many of these microorganisms can play an important role in factors that help maintain wellness, including immune response, nutrient digestion, and possible cancer prevention. The heavy drinkers in the study had higher levels of harmful Bacteroidales, Actinomyces, and Neisseria bacteria; and they had lower levels of Lactobacillales, commonly found in probiotic food supplements and thought to prevent sickness. Ahn noted that, in prior research, she and her colleagues demonstrated that oral bacteria composition can influence the development of oral and upper digestive track cancers, including cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, and pancreas. Changes to bacterial composition from heavy drinking potentially contribute to periodontal disease, heart disease, and head and neck cancer as well, according to the authors. Ahn and her colleagues reviewed mouthwash samples and alcohol consumption data from 1,044 adults, ages 55 to 87, who were participating in two ongoing cancer studies. Researchers analyzed oral bacteria and compared the microbe composition among 270 nondrinkers, 614 moderate drinkers, and 160 heavy drinkers. The study authors indicated that the current research was not extensive enough to distinguish differences in oral health among wine, beer, or liquor drinkers. Potentially Significant Finding Ahn could not comment on whether better oral hygiene might help drinkers maintain a healthier bacterial balance in the mouth. She stressed that research so far has not determined if blocking or promoting any particular changes in the microbiome would lead to healthy bacteria levels similar to those found in nondrinkers. “Although at this time the authors do not know how to get to the healthy mix of bacteria that would promote health, their contention that changing the oral flora [bacteria that live in the mouth] can prevent diseases is potentially significant,” says Ronald Burakoff, DMD, chairman of dental medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, and North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York. Dr. Burakoff recommends that his patients drink very little alcohol, if at all. “Heavy alcohol consumption is linked to poor health outcomes, and this study is consistent with my advice to my patients,” he says. NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Healthy Living Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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