Franklin Dentists Share Tips to Prevent Red Wine Stains on Your Teeth
With dark still descending early and the temperatures trending downward, this is the perfect time for indoor entertainment, fireside conversations with friends and perhaps a glass of good wine, to cheer the heart.
Even better if you can find an activity that includes it all. Fortunately, you’re in luck. Check out Pairings with Austin, February 25 to the 27th, in Franklin.
The weekend event is billed as the Ultimate Wine and Food Weekend in Nashville. It’s hosted by Nashville Wine Auction which has been hosting wine tastings and auctions to support cancer for nearly as long as we’ve been in business. For just as many years, our patients have been complaining about red wine staining their pearly whites.
We’ve put together some suggestions to help you enjoy a few glasses of the latest cab without concern.
1. Brush Before. Not After.
The tannins and high acidity of wine make your teeth highly sensitive to abrasion. Tannins, in particular, bind to the surface of teeth and can cling to plaque. Brushing an hour or so before removes the plaque in your teeth and decreases your chances of a wine-stained smile.
That same acidity can work against you when brushing after; eroding the enamel on your teeth.
2. Avoid White Wine
All wine contains tannins that bind to the surface of teeth and acid which reduces the mineral content of teeth leading to erosion of the enamel. While red wine might stain your teeth, white wines can actually be more damaging to the overall health of your teeth because they tend to be more acidic.
3. Drink Water Between Glasses
Aside from keeping your dance feet on the ground (and not on the tables) having a glass of water between glasses of wine helps rinse the tannins and acid from your mouth. The bubbles in sparkling water work even better to loosen up and scrub away stains.
4. Say Cheese and Enjoy Some Crudites
Cheese causes calcium to build up on your teeth and it closes the tiny micro-pores on the surface of your teeth. Hard cheeses are best since they have more calcium (and are usually healthier).
Then, chomp away with vigor on those veggies. Foods with high fiber content, like broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and potatoes, help your mouth produce more saliva and scrub away the stains as you chew.
5. Be Prepared (Wine Wipes & Whitening Pen)
Yes. They’re really a “thing”. And anyone who loves red wine needs to have them. They’re completely flavorless so they won’t spoil your palate. Use them before and after your wine-escapades to keep your smile bright.
Alternately, carry a whitening pen. The peroxide in the pen should bubble away those stains.
While both products work, we recommend bleaching like this only after your last glass of the evening, because this too can make your teeth more porous and susceptible to stains. Sigh! ;-)
