There is nothing better than a glass of wine to cap off the day. You open the cabinet and see two options: red or white wine. Rather than settle for the red, you choose white because facing the morning with stained teeth is not an option.

But if you think you are doing your teeth a favour by drinking white, think again. A study from the New York University (NYU) reveals that your whiter option might simply be the lesser of two evils.

Why Not White? Study Reveals Reason

Researchers from NYU compared the staining effect of white and red wine by submerging cow teeth in both for an hour. This mimics the effect of sipping a couple glasses of wine over dinner or before the night ends. After an hour, they soaked the teeth in black tea.

With the help of a spectrophotometer (device used to measure colour intensity), researchers discovered that red wine left the deepest stains. However, a more interesting result revealed that white was no better. Teeth soaked in white wine displayed significant discolouration compared to tea stains.

Acidic Erosion: The Culprit behind the Stain

The study revealed that the acid found in wines, red or white, creates grooves in your teeth, which allows staining chemicals to penetrate the tooth. White wine is extremely acidic—it slowly erodes your tooth enamel, which worsens staining. Whenever you drink white wine, you leave your pearly whites vulnerable to stains caused by food, coffee and tea.

Love Your Wine, Love Your Teeth

Sometimes, it is hard to resist the temptation of wine. If you love your vino and wish to protect your teeth, there are ways to slow down the erosion and discolouration. For example, refrain from rolling wine over your tongue to prevent spreading the acids on teeth. Rinse your mouth with a glass of water to neutralise the mouth.

Also, hold off brushing your teeth. Your toothpaste’s abrasive speeds up the damaging process brought about by the wine’s acidic content. Wait at least 30 minutes or an hour before you brush your teeth after drinking wine.

For a whiter smile despite your love of wine, professional teeth whitening also helps. Dr David Madruga’s cosmetic dental procedures can restore your pearly whites for a winning smile. Book an appointment with us now and keep enjoying your favoured glass of wine.