Whether you enjoy an occasional glass of wine after a hard day or drink a bottle or two every week, wine can negatively affect the look and underlying health of your teeth. While surprising to hear, this favorite beverage not only stains your teeth, but it can also lead to dry mouth, severe erosion of your enamel, and tooth decay. Of course, many wine connoisseurs believe that drinking white wine is a safer alternative, but it can also cause staining and dental erosion. Instead of giving up your wine, use these tips to reduce its effects on your oral health.
Water Into Wine
Wine contains alcohol, which affects your oral health and your brain, so drinking water with your wine is smart.
Water will keep your mouth moist, reducing your risk of bacteria growth and the erosion of your tooth enamel. In addition, drinking water in between sips of wine will reduce the alcohol's effects on the brain.
If you do not enjoy the taste of regular water, opt for sparkling water in between every glass of wine.
Say Cheese
Cheese is a common snack to pair with wine, but the tasty treat can also be beneficial to your oral health.
Cheese contains casein phosphate, which strengthens your teeth. In addition, consuming cheese allows calcium to build up on your teeth, coating your tooth enamel with a layer of protection. This reduces your risk of tooth staining from drinking wine.
Since alcohol can cause dry mouth, drinking wine will reduce your mouth's production of saliva. Fortunately, cheese is a sialagogue, which increases salivation.
Eating cheese is a great option for improving your dental health, but it can also reduce the dental dangers of drinking wine.
Get Your Fiber
Consider snacking on fiber-rich foods to protect your smile from eroded enamel and tooth discoloration.
Chewing on spinach salad, broccoli, potatoes, popcorn, and nuts will help scrub the wine off your teeth. Foods loaded with fiber will also increase saliva production.
Brush Before
You may notice a slight discoloration on your teeth immediately after drinking a few glasses of wine, so you may head straight to the bathroom to brush your teeth. Unfortunately, brushing your teeth after drinking the wine will actually cause more damage to your smile.
Since the acids from the wine will remain in your mouth after drinking, your tooth enamel will be highly sensitive to abrasion. Brushing your teeth after drinking the wine will not only cause your enamel to erode, but the tooth sensitivity can also cause some discomfort.
Instead of brushing afterwards, brush your teeth before drinking your wine. Brushing before will prevent the wine from sticking to any plaque on your teeth.
Straw-Berry Wine
You may enjoy sipping wine out of a favorite glass, but sipping out of glass allows the wine to make excessive contact with your teeth, increasing its effects on your oral health.
While you may not feel comfortable using a straw in restaurants and social events, consider sipping your wine through a straw when at home. Drinking through a straw reduces how much wine contacts your teeth. This reduces your teeth's exposure to acids from the wine slightly, but it can be beneficial.
Pull Oil
Swishing oil around your mouth for a few minutes each day may not seem like a healthy option, but it can be helpful in preventing tooth discoloration from drinking wine.
Oil pulling before and after drinking a few glasses of wine can pull bacteria out of your mouth while strengthening your teeth and absorbing stains from the dental enamel.
To pull, place 1 tablespoon of coconut, sesame, or olive oil into your mouth and swish it around for 15 to 20 minutes. After the time, spit the oil into a trash bin and rinse your mouth out with water.
Wine can wreak havoc on your mouth, teeth, and gums, but you can reduce your risk of severe discoloration and dental damage. With these tips, you can enjoy your wine without harming the look and health of your teeth. For more tips, contact a dentist or visit websites like http://www.davidjacksondds.com.
