Teeth Harmed More By White Wine Than Red

Mon, 26 Oct 2009

Scientists in Germany have discovered that white wine could actually be more harmful to teeth than red wine .

Researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, discovered that grapes such as Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio can wear away tooth enamel more quickly than red grapes such as Merlot and Claret, making teeth more sensitive to hot and cold.

The team analysed the effects of eight red and white wines from Germany, France, Italy and Spain, on adult teeth removed from men and women aged 40 to 65.

After soaking the teeth in both wines for 24 hours, the researchers noted a significant loss of minerals including calcium and phosphorus found in the enamel surface.

The scientists concluded that regular consumption of white wine has the greatest impact on teeth and could lead to severe dental erosion .

However, they also noted that eating cheese alongside wine could help counter the acidic effect as it is rich in calcium .

"The tradition of enjoying different cheeses for dessert, or in combination with drinking wine, might have a beneficial effect on preventing dental erosion since cheeses contain calcium in a high concentration," they said.

The findings, published in the Nutrition Research journal, also warned people to avoid excessive brushing immediately after drinking alcohol as it could further harm their teeth .
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