White Wine vs Red Wine: Is Wine Bad for Your Teeth?

Unfortunately, the regular enjoyment of a glass or two of wine can damage your teeth.

Recent Nutritional Research indicates that white wines actually erode the enamel more than darker wines.

This is because white wines tend to be more acidic than red wines.

Generally the higher the acid content of a food or drink, the greater the potential damage to the teeth’s enamel.

What is the Difference Between Red Wine and White Wine?

However, this will leave wine drinkers who want to keep their pearly whites white, in a bit of a quandary.

The paler wines may well cause greater enamel erosion over time, but the darker wines stain more.

So they are both as bad as each other for different reasons. White wine damages more, red wine stains more. What are we supposed to do, give it all up completely?!

Is Red Wine and White Wine Bad for Your Teeth?

Don’t worry; you don’t have to go completely without in order to keep your teeth healthy and white, and you don’t have to go to the length of pouring the wine directly down your throat either, although it would help!

If you can bear it, brushing your teeth before drinking can really help.

This helps remove plaque and debris on the teeth that contribute to catching the staining wine.

The wine can cling onto the sticky plaque, causing far greater staining. A smoother, cleaner tooth will stainless easily. Of course, it could impair the taste of the wine.

As we all probably know, things taste rather different immediately after brushing.

To minimize this, you could brush about an hour before drinking, and use just a small amount of toothpaste.

You can also brush your teeth after drinking. However be warned, brushing your teeth straight after drinking can make matters worse.

The acid levels will be high in your mouth, which makes the enamel soft. This renders it more prone to damage caused by brushing.

It is better to leave it for about half an hour, and rinse the mouth out with water before brushing.

This should ensure that the acid levels are fairly normal, and little enamel damage will be caused by brushing.

Which Foods are a Good Combination With Wine?

A great source of comfort for many, the researchers commented that the tradition of combining wine and cheese can be a good thing. That’s right, eating cheese with your wine is good – at least for your teeth.

This is because cheese contains high levels of calcium, which neutralize and boost the remineralizing power of saliva to halt the acid attack.

So cheese and wine nights are definitely on! You might also like: How to Get Rid of a Hangover Fast? – A Step by Step Guide

In fact, consuming most foods with wine can help, unless they are particularly acidic like strawberries. A good meal with a glass or two can increase your saliva levels,

which helps to neutralize the acid in your mouth, limiting the erosive potential of the wine.

And really, is there any better way to enjoy your wine, than with a good hearty meal?

Researchers at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany also found that rich red wines like Rioja or a Pinot noir proved kinder to the teeth, as they have lower acid levels. You might also like: Magical Homemade Skin Whitening Recipes For Glowing Skin

How to Drink Wine Without Staining Your Lips and Teeth?

Also how you drink your wine can make a real difference. Some people don’t realize it, but they drink through their teeth.

Just try drinking something now, and be mindful of whether the liquid is drunk through your teeth, or whether you pour it into your mouth, directly on your tongue.

If you do drink through your teeth, then you are far more prone to staining and damaging your teeth with wine.

Get into the habit of pouring the wine, and indeed any drink, into your mouth without contact with your teeth.

If you keep reminding yourself, you will quickly get into the habit of doing this without thinking.

It just takes a few days effort, but the rewards are definitely worth it.

You can still enjoy your red wine and white wine and still have great looking teeth.

Just by making a few changes, such as brushing before and/or after, and eating cheese or other foods, can really help.

Life isn’t supposed to be dull and boring, and it needn’t be. It can be interesting, bright and dazzling, just like your teeth!

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