Effect on the oral mucosa | Effect of alcohol – influence on the various organs

Effect on the oral mucosa

Some of the alcohol that you ingest goes directly from the oral mucosa into the bloodstream. If alcohol is consumed in larger quantities more frequently, the oral mucosa can increasingly dry out. This makes the oral mucosa vulnerable to long-term attack by germs such as viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Alcohol thus increases the risk of inflammation of the oral mucosa (stomatitis). An inflammation of the oral mucosa is accompanied by typical signs of inflammation, such as redness, swelling, pain, loss of taste and possibly mucous membrane bleeding as well as bad breath, aphtae (painful damage to the oral mucosa) or ulcerations (ulcers). In the long term, regular consumption of alcohol in large quantities increases the risk of oral cancer. Excessive consumption of alcohol (alcohol abuse) is said to increase the risk of developing cancer of the oral cavity by a factor of thirty.

Effect on the urinary bladder

Alcohol activates the sympathetic nervous system. This causes the bladder to relax in order to be able to fill. When the pressure in the bladder increases sharply, the urge to go to the toilet arises. The kidneys produce a lot of urine when drinking alcohol and the bladder therefore fills easily. This explains why you often have to urinate when drinking alcohol.

Effect on the testicles

Alcohol can have a negative effect on sexuality. The consumption of alcohol reduces the blood levels of the sex hormone testosterone. As a result, nerve conduction from the brain to the erectile tissue of the penis is impaired and erection is disturbed.

In the long term, chronic alcohol consumption can lead to impotence and reduce the libido. According to scientists, the testicles shrink over time and men can become infertile. Alcohol also has a negative effect on sperm and changes their shape, making them less able to penetrate eggs.

There are also cases where chronic alcohol abuse in men leads to feminization due to the hormonal changes. Fatty tissue, for example, can attach itself more easily to the hips and breasts.