After a long day hard at work, a glass of wine may just be what’s in order. Well, white wines just can’t catch a break. Interestingly enough, white wine turns out to be a lot worse than red wines for teeth.[1] And yet, it’s not the alcohol in the wine, but the acidity of the wine.
Apparently, the acid content of white wines like Chardonnay or Riesling destroys tooth enamel much faster than reds like Cabernet. And to counter this effect, white wine drinkers are recommended to munch on cheese, which supplies calcium to counteract the wine’s effect. Essentially, consuming wine with food means the saliva you produce as you chew helps to neutralize its acidity and limits its erosive potential.
In addition, you need to leave some time between drinking white wine and brushing teeth to give your enamel a chance to recover from the acid attack. Another recommended solution, might be to chew xylitol gum to make the enamel less susceptible to being brushed away.
Now red, with all its great antioxidant benefits doesn’t get off the hook. The red wines can stain your teeth. And according to the Mayo Clinic, research studies regarding the benefits of red wine in preventing heart disease have had mixed results. The evidence still isn’t clear whether red wine has more heart benefits than white wine or even beer.[2]
Whether you choose to drink red wine or white may just be a matter of preference. And while there may be benefits to drinking wine, you should do so in moderation.[3] The risks of drinking too much of any alcoholic beverage can easily outweigh the good.
Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC
ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD
Hanna Orland, DMD
3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Chamblee, GA 30341
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and
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Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328
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[1] http://www.newser.com/story/72188/white-wine-hurts-the-choppers.html , according to a German study of human teeth soaked in various kinds of wine.
[2] http://www.livestrong.com/article/67623-red-wine-vs.-white-wine/#ixzz2fuduNxNe
[3] The Mayo Clinic states that moderation is defined as two drinks per day for men and one drink for women.
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