I suffer from bad reactions to Alcohol, and have wondered for a while
why I suffer from these symptoms whilst everyone can drink without
problems (apart from becoming drunk...but that's a problem you can't
avoid)

1-Whenever I drink anything alcoholic, whether 'Alcopops' (Smirnoff
Ice, WKD bottles etc) or pints of beer or cider (I drink a lot of
cider, but very rarely beer), after a few drinks my bottom back teeth
start to become very sensitive. They don't ache, just if I eat
anything, especially anything you must bite (usual food at the time of
drinking may be crisps or nuts for example) it can be very painful. It
is only my back bottom teeth, it doesn't affect anywhere else. The
worst thing about it is the next day, where it's very difficult to eat
anything harder than bread. The only way I can reduce it is if I chew
gum on the sensitive spots to just get over the discomfort. The pain
is just on the top of the teeth, the biting surface, the rest of the
tooth is fine. I can even cause the pain by touching the tooth surface
with my tongue lightly.

My dentist has X-Rayed the teeth, yet can't find any cause. I have
noticed something similar once when I ate a bag of sour sweets (gum
sweets with a sour coating on) which actually had a very similar
effect. Could it be a reaction from the acid or something? It can't be
the sugar or anything, as I could have bottles of coke without any
reaction whatsoever. This condition makes the day after drinking, and
sometimes even following into the day after that, very uncomfortable
when eating.

2-This second reaction isn't so bad, as I've learned the pain does
disappear around 20-25 minutes after appearing, however it's yet
another unexplained reaction to drinking alcohol. If I consume quite a
lot within a short period of time, which even seems to happen when
drinking a glass even relatively quickly sometimes, I get a very
uncomfortable back pain, which is very similar to the feeling when you
pull a muscle in your back-the tight, painful feeling, and it's in the
mid-section of my back, not around my kidneys. This would almost
always happen if I down a drink.

It does go, as I said, after around 20 minutes but it's again another
unwanted side effect. I just don't understand why it happens, and
whilst others may down drinks around me (not that I want to, or
regularly do that) if I even drink quite fast I get this pain.

I'd appreciate some answers as to why I get this two reactions, any
evidence of it happening to other people (research hasn't shown these
are common problems), and any ways to prevent them happening. Any
advice to drink less or avoid alcohol may be sensible, but won't even
be acknowledged as that's not an answer I'm even looking for.

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 06 Aug 2006 21:59 PDT

This holistic dental chart shows the corresondence of specific teeth
to internal organs and systems:
http://www.royalrife.com/dental1.gif

The back pain may be related to a problem with an internal organ, 
such as the ileocecal valve. The dental sensitivity could be a
matter or referred pain from the internal organ, or vice versa.

A holistic dentist could likely tell you more.

Let me know if this helps...

sublime1-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 06 Aug 2006 22:09 PDT

Here's more on the ileocecal valve, which can be aggravated by alcohol:
http://healing.about.com/cs/conditions/a/aa_ileocecal.htm

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Request for Question Clarification by cynthia-ga on 07 Aug 2006 02:15 PDT

beardeddragon2k,

No idea why everyone thinks you should quit drinking. Thta's certainly
an option, but not the Answer. Here's what I can do.

I have been going to the University of Washington Dental School for
about a year, my teeth are a work of art again, beautiful. The
instructors there are very good, very experienced, and they love
sharing what they know. I am going to print this question and take it
to my next appointment on June 15th. I will ask the instructor at that
time.

I'll let you know what happens.

~~Cynthia

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Request for Question Clarification by cynthia-ga on 07 Aug 2006 11:52 PDT

LOL - My next appointment is on August 15th.  I have no idea what I
was thinking, but in the light of day my mistake is obvious!

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Request for Question Clarification by boquinha-ga on 07 Aug 2006 15:37 PDT

Cynthia,

Have you been drinking? :P

Sincerely,
Boquinha-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by cynthia-ga on 07 Aug 2006 16:01 PDT

Bo,

Not today (yet), but I have to wonder where June came from. I did have
an old appointment card (June) laying out on the desk --that gave me
the idea to print out the question and take it with me on the 15th.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

~~Cynthia

Simple answer: Dont drink.

This reminds me of an old joke:

PATIENT: Doc, whenever I jump up and down flapping my arms like a
chicken, I get a strange pain in my thigh.

DOCTOR: So, don't jump up and down flapping your arms like a chicken.

People are funny. When they drink a poison and get pain or discomfort,
they don't want to hear "Drink less poison" or "Stop drinking the
poison."

If acid is the cause of the teeth feeling funny, does it happen if you
drink a lot of lemonade or orange juice? Please note that I mean real
lemonade and orange juice and not the stuff that masquerades as such
in London and environs.

My advise to you is the opposite as Apoptosiss's-- drink heavily. It's
something you already know how to do as you mention drinking a lot in
a short period and downing drinks, despite your protestations to the
contrary. Eventually whatever is hurting will be seriously damaged and
you'll have your answer.

Or you could stop jumping up and down flapping your arms like a chicken.

Seriously, you don't need the booze. Give it a rest and switch to
mineral water, like Mel Gibson did. Wait, bad example...

<Rant on>

Actually, I think beardeddragon2k is asking an important question
--since everyone he knows (and everyone I know) can drink and this
does not occur [to his friends, my friends, your friends] --why does
it happen to him?

And while he's at it, he'd like to know how to make it stop. 

Sheesh, why sermonize?  Like telling a guy whose [insert male body
part] hurts during sex to stop having sex. Give the guy a break.
Address the question.

</rant off>

Cynthia: Address the question yourself, you are a researcher too, arent you? 

 Its a free site to post comments, get used to it. 

Next time, rant on myspace.

I am addressing the question. Perhaps you should read the whole page.

I gave up cider, it was rotting my teeth.

My hunch would be that the enamel on those back teeth is rather thin.

Both the acid and cold might be giving you that effect.

The last time I looked at an X-Ray of one of my molars, I was
surprized how little it really showed up, I'm pretty sure that the
thickness of the enamel would be totally impossible to determine from
an X-Ray.

It would be interesting to see whether your dentist could put a
coating on the top of the tooth, trouble is it could not be very thick
as that would screw up your bite.

Have you tried using Sensodyne toothpaste ?

The stomach problem sounds like your guts are reacting to a sudden
increase in stomach contents, does it happen if you neck down two
pints of water in a couple of minutes ?

Thank god!! Someone else who has to suck their food after a heavy
night, I thought I was the only one and everyone thinks I'm weird!
Don't get the back pain though. Shame to see there are no clear
answers :(

Kx

i get sensitive teeth when i drink Alcopops too, it only lasts a day
after but it is really uncomfortable, it seems to be better when i
drink something different like cider or wine so i can only suggest
finding an alternative drink.