Unfortunately, if you love your red wine, the implications for the brightness of your smile are undeniable. Red wine can greatly stain your teeth. That said, there has been compelling research over the years that certain compounds found in red wine can offer you a variety of overall health benefits, including dental health. One recent study has even found that red wine may potentially help prevent tooth decay. The full report appears in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and could lead to the development of highly effective natural products which can lower the risk for many dental diseases with less side effects than current treatments.
Oral Hygiene Only Goes So Far
M. Victoria Moreno-Arribas led a team of colleagues to explain the commonality of certain dental diseases throughout the planet. Amongst the most common are cavities, periodontal (gum) disease, and ensuing tooth loss when these conditions are not properly treated. An estimated 60 to 90% of the entire global population has dealt with at least one of these conditions. Issues begin when certain bacteria in your mouth team up and form biofilms (communities of bacteria such as plaque and tartar) that are highly damaging and infectious to your oral health. Brushing with fluoridated toothpaste, flossing, rinsing with anti-bacterial mouthwash, and consuming a low sugar diet are all helpful ways to control bacteria and their biofilms. However, no amount of oral hygiene eradicates the thousands of germs in your mouth entirely.
Research Details
New research is compelling regarding the polyphenols in both red wine and grape seed extract as a way to slow bacterial growth. Moreno-Arribas’ team set forth to test these compounds under realistic conditions. By growing cultures of the bacteria responsible for dental diseases in a lab, they were able to recreate biofilms. The biofilms were submerged into a variety of liquids for a couple of minutes each. Among the liquids were red wine, non-alcoholic red wine, and red wine infused with additional grape seed extract. The samples were also dipped into water and ethanol for further comparison. Red wine (regardless of alcohol) as well as wine with the additional grape seed extract proved to be the most effective in terms of obliterating bacteria.
Visit your Wilmette Cosmetic Dentist
Don’t forget that red wine does cause stains on teeth, and more research is in order before the true benefits of red wine will be known. To schedule a consultation for any of your cosmetic dental needs, call our 60091 dentist office at 847-259-8030. We are happy to serve patients in Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Northwest Chicago Suburbs, and Northern Chicago Suburbs.
