Here at Craig S. Donn, DDS, we are no strangers to the after work tradition of grabbing a nice cold beer. We love heading down to Forgotten Boardwalk over at 1940 Olney Ave. to try out some of their great tasting beers. Now, we know what you’re probably thinking: my dentist is okay with beer? We are happy to say that we are! This is because it turns out that the hops commonly used to make beer can actually have many positive effects on your oral health. Today, Dr. Craig S. Donn is blogging from Cherry Hill and Camden County, NJ to talk about the history of hops and what makes it so good for you.
Hop Your Way to a Happier Smile
Hops hasn’t always been as important to the brewing industry as it is today. In fact, it wasn’t until the colonial period of American history when hops stopped being considered nothing more than a weed and started getting the respect it deserves. During this time period, most of the beer being drunk in the colonies had to be imported from England. However, merchants were discovering that much of the beer they were bringing over was spoiling during the long trip. Fortunately, this led to the discovery that hops could prevent bacteria from growing in beer, keeping it fresh the entire voyage.
Naturally brewing technology has changed over the years and they have found new ways to keep it fresh. So why then is hops still so prominent? Well, it turns out that hops can have many interesting effects on beer. For instance, some strands of hops have shown effective at changing the bitterness of beers. Other strands of hops are capable of changing the aroma of beer. Some strands can even make both of these changes at the same time. These effects have proven popular and so hops use continues to this day.
Now, you’re probably wondering what it is about hops that makes it so good for your oral health. Hops is actually full of a natural forming group of chemicals called polyphenols. Not only have polyphenols proven effective at preventing oral cancer, but they are also capable of reversing gum disease and preventing plaque from building up on your teeth. One polyphenol present in hops, called Xanthohumol, has been found useful in killing viruses and preventing bacteria from sticking to your teeth. Hops beer can help you prevent the conditions that lead to tooth decay and gum disease, keeping your mouth healthy and strong.
Call and Schedule a Consultation in Cherry Hill and Camden County, NJ
Like with most things, drinking beer in moderation is unlikely to have any negative effects on your health. However, beer alone isn’t enough to keep your teeth healthy and you may still end up with a missing tooth at some point. In this case, we highly recommend you replace that missing tooth with a dental implant. If you would like to learn more about the effects of beer or about dental implants, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider, Dr. Craig S. Donn, today.