"I'm concerned about it" she said. "And I try to avoid the things that stain, the coffee and the red wine, as much as I can."
Red wine can stain the teeth. So can tea, even more than coffee, believe it or not.
But would you believe white wine is a major culprit in staining?
White wine's role in staining teeth was the subject of research by dental student Christina Dobrescu and Dr. Mark Wolff.
"Some of the stuff that makes the wine taste good to us," Dr. Wolff said, "probably makes the tooth susceptible to being stained."
And what stains teeth are the acids and the tannins in wine that make it slightly tart on the tongue.
The acids and tannins in white wine roughen the tooth surface, making it easier for colorants in red wine or tea, for example, to stick to the tooth.
What can you do? Be aware that your own saliva can counteract staining. Don't drink red wine or other elements that stain teeth, like tea, after having white wine with a meal. And Dr. Wolff says brush your teeth at bedtime.
"Use a good quality toothpaste," he saod. "That helps whiten teeth and removes surface stain."
And here's another tip. Dr. Wolff says that brushing right after white wine roughens the tooth surface and can damage the tooth, so wait until bedtime to brush. Coffee doesn't have tannins, so it doesn't stain teeth as much as tea does.
Get more information about free dental screenings here:
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6749065
Web Produced by Ilene Rosen
SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
USEFUL LINKS:
SEND TIP OR PHOTO || REPORT TYPO || GET WIDGET
EYEWITNESS TWITTER || FIND US ON FACEBOOK
