mobility of teeth which may exfoliate if the disease continues to progress. A patient's consumption of alcohol needs to be monitored to estimate the risk of periodontitis, but further well-designed cohort studies are needed to reaffirm theses results. Cleft lip and palate Various maternal behavioral factors have been known to increase the risk of oral clefts such as folate deficiency, antiepileptic drugs, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Even though alcohol is known to be a folic acid antagonist, there is no significant correlation between mild to moderate consumption of alcohol during pregnancy and the risk of oral clefts. However, as a baby's palate and lip develop during the first trimester of the pregnancy (first 12 weeks), mothers should be aware to avoid drinking during this time. Research on the correlation between heavy drinking and orofacial cleft is still necessary for confirmation. Other systems Respiratory system Chronic alcohol ingestion can impair multiple critical cellular functions in the lungs. These cellular impairments can lead to increased susceptibility to serious complications from lung disease. Recent research cites alcoholic lung disease as comparable to liver disease in alcohol-related mortality. Alcoholics have a higher risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and experience higher rates of mortality from ARDS when compared to non-alcoholics. In contrast to these findings, a large prospective study has shown a protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption on respiratory mortality. Kidney stones Research indicates that drinking beer or wine is associated with a lower risk of developing kidney stones. Sexual function Low to moderate alcohol consumption is shown to have protective effect for men's erectile function. Several reviews and meta-analyses of existing literature show that low to moderate alcohol consumption significantly decrease erectile dysfunction risk. Men's sexual behaviors can be affected dramatically by high alcohol consumption. Both chronic and acute alcohol consumption have been shown in most studies (but not all) to inhibit testosterone production in the testes. This is believed to be caused by the metabolism of alcohol reducing the NAD+/NADH ratio both in the liver and the testes; since the synthesis of testosterone requires NAD+, this tends to reduce testosterone production. Long term excessive intake of alcohol can lead to damage to the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system resulting in loss of sexual desire and impotence in men. This is caused by reduction of testosterone from ethanol-induced testicular atrophy, resulting in increased feminisation of males and