We ask about alcohol for the same reason we ask about medication. It changes what is sensible for you.
Alcohol is on the form, and sometimes we ask about it out loud. If that feels awkward, it's worth knowing why it's there and what happens to your answer. In short: nothing dramatic.
Why It's on the Form
Drinking affects your mouth in several ways. It raises the risk of mouth cancer, it can make gum disease and decay more likely, it can slow healing after treatment, and it can change which medicines are safe for you. We'll cover each of those in more detail in this series. For now, the point is simple: it's clinical information, like your blood pressure or your tablets.
Why We Ask in Units
"A glass or two" can mean very different things. A large 250ml glass of wine is about 3 units, and a pint of regular beer is 2. UK guidance is no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days, and we explain what that looks like in our post on drinking and teeth. Giving us a rough weekly figure is enough. It doesn't have to be exact.
What We Do With Your Answer
If you're within the guideline, nothing changes. If you're above it, we look a little more closely, particularly at your mouth for early signs of cancer (which we do for everyone anyway), your gums and your decay risk. If you need surgery, we plan around healing. If it seems useful, we'll offer a few practical suggestions, once, and leave it with you.
Your answer goes in your clinical record with the rest of your notes and is treated confidentially, like everything else in it.
An Honest Answer Helps You
We've all been asked about our drinking by someone who's clearly judging the answer, and that makes people understate it. That doesn't help you, because we then plan around a number that isn't real. A straight answer helps us look after you properly. And if you'd like to talk about cutting down, we're glad to. DAN 24/7, the free Wales drug and alcohol helpline, is on 0808 808 2234, day or night, and Drinkaware has good practical advice online.
This is also why we ask about smoking at every visit: the answers change over time, and they change what we do. The rest of our check-up questions work the same way.
Source: GOV.UK (Office for Health Improvement and Disparities), Delivering better oral health, chapter 12: alcohol. DAN 24/7: dan247.org.uk.