Five Things To Be Aware Of To Prevent Red Wine From Discoloring Your Teeth
Those who drink red wine often should be aware of the fact that red wine can contribute to teeth staining. However, you can enjoy dazzlingly white teeth regardless of how often you enjoy a glass of merlot as long as you remain aware of the following:
The color of wine is not the only culprit when it comes to tooth staining.
Unfortunately, red wine is an acidic beverage that could weaken your enamel over time if your teeth are constantly exposed to it and your oral hygiene routine can't keep up with all the exposure. Being aware of the fact that wine is acidic and acids are harmful to enamel is important. This fact means that you need to be especially aware of the importance of strengthening your enamel if you are a regular red wine drinker.
The stronger your enamel is, the better it will stand up to stains from red wine.
Enamel serves as a protective layer over your teeth that fortifies your teeth against stains and cavity development. Building up your enamel is important when you want to prevent red wine stains. Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to strengthen your enamel. Using toothpaste that contains fluoride and rinsing your mouth out with water after you drink any acidic beverages like wine and citrus juices are two ways to keep your enamel strong.
Brushing your teeth before wine drinking is preferable to brushing them right after.
Don't assume that brushing your teeth right after drinking wine is the best thing to do to protect your teeth. Right after you drink red wine, your teeth may actually be slightly weakened by the acid so that brushing them at this time could be hard on your enamel. Give it some time after drinking red wine before brushing and simply rinse with water so that any acid is cleared out of your mouth for some time before you brush.
Eating cheese after drinking red wine can help to strengthen your teeth.
The fact that wine traditionally goes with cheese could help you in your fight against red wine staining. Cheese helps fortify your teeth in a variety of ways. Not only does cheese contain calcium that helps build strength in every bone in your body, but cheese also contains fats that help to coat the teeth and keep stains at bay. Also, cheese contains a substance known as casein, which helps to neutralize the acidity of red wine and thereby prevent enamel damage.
Consuming water during and after drinking red wine can help prevent stains.
If you drink water in between glasses of red wine, it will help dilute the concentration of wine surrounding your teeth. It will also periodically cleanse your teeth and prevent stains from soaking in to your teeth.