We already know that drinking Red Wine in moderation is a healthy habit – offering benefits for cardio health and other bodily systems. But now we hear that glass or two a day may help keep the dental plaque away. Great news! But don’t throw away your toothbrush just yet…
Drink Wine for stronger teeth and gums? No. But watch for Toothpaste with polyphenols.
(Professional drinker. Do not attempt at home.)
A group of Spanish researchers has discovered that chemicals in Wine may be effective in preventing the formation of dental plaque which can lead to gum disease and cavities. Their study was published recently in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
They found that antioxidants in Wine not only kept bacteria that produce plaque from sticking to teeth, but actually remove them from teeth where they are already present. The antioxidants are even more effective when combined with an oral probiotic. Researchers saw plaque reduced by as much as 40 per cent. Sounds like a great addition to one’s oral hygiene program, to me!
Alas, the study doesn’t recommend outright the increased consumption of Wine. What it does postulate is, the compounds in Wine that produce the anti-plaque effects – called plyphenols – could be added to toothpaste along with the aforementioned oral probiotic to make a new super plaque-fighting brushing agent.
Drawbacks?
Dentists have long cautioned against the consumption of acidic beverages and foods as acids can harm Tooth enamel, weakening the ability of teeth to resist decay. Wine, whether Red or white, has a lot of acid. But we often help to neutralize that by drinking wine at the same time as we are eating foods that can dilute or neutralize some or all of the acid. And we still get the polyphenols. So, drinking wine, with its inherent acid, turns out to be a calculated risk, one which you can control to some degree by your choice of companion foods.
The bottom line?
Don’t throw away your toothbrush just yet. But do try the new anti-plaque toothpastes that will undoubtedly be showing up on the market over the next few years. They seem to have real promise. And, for maximum cleaning effect, Auntie Mag reminds you to always brush up-and-down, not side-to-side!
~ Maggie J.