I love health science, especially when it tells me exactly what I want to hear. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen looked into peoples' mouths to see if beer drinking can be healthy for you. Their findings were published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry. They looked for an association between the alcohol consumption and the number of teeth older people had. It was noted that women who consumed 1-14 drinks, or more per week, lost fewer teeth than those who abstained from alcohol. It did not matter which type of alcohol they drank (wine or spirits). The result for men was a little different. Only men who preferred beer had more teeth than those that abstained from alcohol. The amount need to save your pearly whites was 6 drinks per week, or just under a standard six-pack.
Don't change your electric toothbrush for a six-pack just yet. There were a few limitations to this study. Alcohol consumption is still a major risk factor for oral cancer. This is mainly due to toxic affects of acetaldehyde, a major by product when your body breaks down alcohol. People with fewer teeth were noted to have other contributing factors for tooth loss: older, lower socioeconomic status, smoked and had a sedentary lifestyle. Regardless, once again science has shown that craft beer and be good for your health.