Jade Campbell discusses the problem of alcohol misuse amongst both patients and dental professionals, and the benefits of taking part in Sober October.
Sober October is a campaign run by Macmillan Cancer Support to encourage people to go sober for the month of October while also raising money for charity.
The benefits of giving up alcohol are vast, including a clearer mind, increased energy, better sleep, weight loss and more.
However, for me, this was a time to reflect on alcohol, both professionally and personally. I decided to educate myself more around the subject and came across a book called Sober on A Drunk Planet by Sean Alexander.
Alcohol is widely accepted in our society, as Alexander points out. It is a focal point for numerous occasions – funerals, birthdays, Christmas, holidays, weddings, christenings, divorces, breakups, dates, good and bad weeks at work, getting a new job, leaving an old job, a drink before, after, and maybe even during a game. The list goes on.
Alcohol is deeply embedded in our culture, but more people are choosing to become sober (not just in October), and the alcohol-free market is rapidly expanding.
The problem of UK alcohol misuse
As part of a comprehensive medical history, we ask patients about their alcohol consumption. But how many of us provide alcohol advice to our patients? How many patients are aware of what constitutes a unit of alcohol?
We know that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of mouth and throat cancer, trauma cases, halitosis, tooth wear, dental decay and periodontal disease. But are we doing enough to educate patients? And for those consuming over the recommended amount (14 units a week), are we proving appropriate guidance and support to reduce their alcohol consumption?
Drinkaware states that between 22% and 38% of all mouth, throat and voice box cancers in the UK are caused by drinking alcohol.
In addition, Delivering Better Oral Health states that, among people aged 15 to 49 years in England, alcohol is the leading cause of ill-health, disability, and death.
Alcohol misuse across the UK is a significant public health problem with major health, social and economic consequences, estimated at between £21 and £52 billion a year. Each year there are more than one million admissions to hospital for alcohol-related conditions.
Therefore, this highlights the importance of providing alcohol advice as dental professionals. Doing so has been proven effective in helping people reduce their alcohol-related health risks.
The NHS offers an Alcohol Identification and Brief Advice e-learning project, helping professionals identify individuals whose drinking might impact their health and providing structured advice to reduce this risk. This aligns with Chapter 12: Alcohol, which highlights the extent of the problem with alcohol in the UK.
The evidence supports that identifying patients’ alcohol health risk and feeding it back to them along with some advice on cutting down, is effective in reducing alcohol consumption.
Alcohol consumption amongst dental professionals
But what about the prevalence of alcohol use among dental professionals? Reading Sober on a Drunk Planet made me think about alcohol use not only among patients but also among dental professionals.
Dentistry is known to be a highly stressful career, with a recent survey by the Dental Defence Union (DDU) showing that mental health problems are likely to have been exacerbated by the changes and uncertainties caused by COVID-19. The survey revealed that 68% of dental professionals felt that their stress and anxiety levels had increased since the pandemic.
How many of us are reaching for a glass of wine after a stressful day? Or worse, how many professionals have been suspended from the General Dental Council (GDC) due to alcoholism and alcohol-related incidences?
There are courses available in mental health first aid for dental professionals – this seems like a good place to start to support each other in a highly stressful carer with practices now adopting mental health teams leads. It’s also worth being mindful that functional alcoholics may go about their business as normal. But if you do notice a change in a colleague’s behaviour, perhaps check in with them and raise your concerns.
Dentist’s Health Support Trust is a registered charity that provides dental professionals with free advice and support on health including drug and alcohol use. They run a program where dental professionals can access free, confidential support including addictive disorders and fitness to practice issues. For confidential advice you can call them on 0207 224 4671.
A more sober society?
The non-alcoholic drinks market is booming, with multiple source claiming an increase in sales of non-alcoholic drinks. This is further supported by the International Wine and Spirit Research (IWSR) drinks market analysis which states: ‘Driven by increasing consumer demand, no- and low-alcohol beer/cider, wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink products grew by more than 7% in volume across 10 key global markets in 2022.’
Drinkaware also published a report stating that the proportion of young adults who do not drink has increased from 14% in 2017 to 21% in 2023. However, it is essential to be cautious because, while more young people are reported as non-drinkers, those who do drink are more likely to binge drink and drink at high-risk or possibly dependent levels compared to the rest of the population.
Therefore, Drinkaware raises caution that overlooking young adults as a generation of non-drinkers may mask potentially worrying drinking habits and harm among this younger age group.
Numerous books, audiobooks, blogs, and e-learning sources are available about the risks of alcohol, how to reduce alcohol consumption, or stop drinking. Or perhaps, like me, you’re just looking to further your knowledge on the topic.
Reading Sober on a Drunk Planet has undoubtedly changed my perspective on alcohol, especially as a society. Perhaps it os time to challenge our mindset towards alcohol?
