7 Tricks to Drinking Wine Without Staining Your Teeth

If you enjoy wine, here’s some good news: A glass of wine (or two) a day can be good for you! Wine drinkers tend to have the lowest mortality rates, even when compared to non-drinkers. Unfortunately, it’s not the best for the pearly whites of your teeth. But if you’re a wine aficionado (or even just enjoy the occasional glass), don’t fret! Here are seven tricks to protect your teeth from wine stains.

1. Brush Before You Start Drinking

Wine clings to plaque or tartar, increasing the likelihood of stains. So, instead of waiting until the end of the night, brush before you go out. Make it part of your getting-ready routine. You’ll feel better and fresher, and your mouth will be cleaner, with less surface for the wine to attach to your teeth.

2. Start with Red

It seems counterintuitive, but there’s science behind this tip. If you start with red wine and then transition to white wine or other drinks later, your teeth will have fewer wine stains. It turns out that white wine has a high acid content, which acts as a primer for stains. Drinking white wine first softens your enamel, making the tannins in red wine cling to your teeth and seep into the enamel’s pores.

However, if you drink red wine first, the red pigments enter your enamel before it’s been softened and primed by the acid from white wine. Drinking red before white reduces the stains you might incur if you stick with nothing but red.

3. Pair with Cheese

Not only do wine and cheese taste great together, but cheese also leaves a calcium coating on your teeth that closes those pores on the surface of teeth. This coating protects your teeth and reduces discoloration.

4. Floss Everyday

Flossing is crucial for healthy teeth and gums. This oral hygiene habit also protects your enamel, which preserves the natural color of your teeth, whether you’re drinking wine, coffee, or other beverages that might stain your teeth.

5. Drink Sparkling Water

For every glass of wine, or at least every other glass, sip on a glass of sparkling seltzer water. The bubbles act as a cleansing tonic for your teeth, removing any tannins that may cling to the enamel.

6. Brush at the End of the Night

Don’t assume you’ve finished your daily dental hygiene just because you brushed before leaving the house. Brushing at the end of the night is a good habit to maintain, as it can help remove any remaining wine residue before it stains your teeth.

7. Consider Teeth Whitening

Late in getting this advice? If you aren’t satisfied with the gleam of your smile, you might consider professional teeth whitening from a Blue Ash provider like Beckham Square Family Dental. It’s a safe and effective cosmetic dentistry procedure that can make your smile look fresh and young again. Contact our Cincinnati office to learn more or schedule an appointment.