WHITE WINE AND WEAR
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
I came across this article in the recent edition of the AGD Impact Newsletter.
I thought some might find it interesting.
It’s a common theory that teeth need to be protected from the staining power of red wine. Wine drinkers often opt for white wine to avoid potential stains, but a recent study revealed that white wine simply may be the lesser of two evils.
Researchers discovered that white wine can also contribute to tooth discoloration. The common factor is acid, which is also present in many other beverages.
Researchers found that- no surprise- red wine left the deepest, darkest stains on teeth. However, a more interesting result revealed that the teeth soaked in white wine also showed signs of stains and were significantly more discolored than the set that endured a similar process with water.
Researchers concluded that the acids in wine, white or red, create rough spots and grooves in teeth that allow chemicals in stain- causing beverages, such as coffee, tea, or cola, to penetrate deeper into the tooth.
Acidic erosion isn’t a problem with wines. An abundance of citrus drinks, such as orange and grapefruit juice, lemonade, most sports and energy drinks, as well as sodas, also contain acids. The common threads in acid erosions and dental caries (cavities) are acid and loss of tooth structure. While organic bacterial acids lead to caries (decay), it is the extrinsic acids in foods and beverages and /or intrinsic acids from our stomachs that can lead to erosion. In both cases, early detection and prevention measures can keep an incipient problem from becoming irreversible.
RMS
