Don’t Let Red Wine Ruin That Smile

What’s more romantic than roses, chocolate and dark red wine? Maybe the ability to not look like you’ve indulged in said wine. But avoiding "wine teeth" is often easier said than done. That’s because that delicious dark red liquid is full of something called tannins. These little particles not only make wine more delicious by making it taste more dry, bitter and acidic, but they also leave behind little souvenirs called "chromogens," which give wine its color – and have the pesky habit of sticking to the teeth.

So, how do you avoid those clingy chromogens? Here are some practical tips that will allow you to enjoy a glass or two of red wine without worrying about your smile giving you - and your drink of choice - away.

"The first thing you should do if you know you’ll be having red wine is brush your teeth," says Dr. Gary Lederman, a dentist from Bellmore, New York. "Give it about 30 minutes between brushing and drinking. This will give the wine less plaque to cling to, so the teeth stay whiter."

And why should you wait the 30 minutes? According to Lederman, this gives your tooth enamel a chance to re-harden after brushing.

"This will prevent the acidity of the wine from damaging enamel, and it will also prevent the enamel from absorbing the red color of the wine," he says.

Next, Lederman says make sure you choose the order of your beverages wisely.

"If you plan on having red wine and another type of alcohol – be it white wine or something else - have the red wine first." he says.

That’s because, according to Lederman, the acidity in alcohol makes your tooth enamel softer and more porous, which makes it easier to stain the teeth when you finally do have the red wine.

The last step is a no-brainer.

"Brush your teeth," says Lederman. "But not immediately."

Remember that softened enamel we told you about before? Well, just like when you brush before drinking, if you brush teeth after drinking, when your tooth enamel is weakened, you can scratch the enamel and permanently damage it.

"Always rinse your mouth with water after any acidic food or beverage, but even after doing that, you should wait at least 30 minutes to brush your teeth so the enamel has time to re-harden," Lederman says.