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It has long been known that red wine causes teeth to stain. However, a recent study by New York University (NYU) dental researchers found that drinking white wine can also increase the potential for teeth to take on dark stains. The researchers compared 2 sets of 6 cow teeth, whose surface closely resembles that of human teeth, and used a spectrophotometer to evaluate staining levels. They found that teeth soaked for 1 hour in white wine before being immersed in black tea had significantly darker stains than teeth immersed for 1 hour in water before exposure to the tea. “Dipping teeth in white wine for 1 hour is similar to the effect of sipping the wine with dinner,” said Dr. Mark Wolff, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cariology & Comprehensive Care at NYU College of Dentistry. Dr. Wolff oversaw the study, which was led by Ms. Cristina M. Dobrescu, a third-year student. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the International Association for Dental Research in Miami, Fla. “The acids in wine create rough spots and grooves that enable chemicals in other beverages that cause staining, such as coffee and tea, to penetrate deeper into the tooth,” Dr. Wolff explained. Still, red wine continues to beat out white wine when it comes to staining teeth. When the researchers repeated the experiment with red wine, the resulting stains were significantly darker than those in the white wine group. “Red wine, unlike white, contains a highly pigmented substance known as chromogen,” explained Dr. Wolff. But he added that connoisseurs of wine concerned about staining need not cut back on their consumption. “The best way to prevent staining caused by wine, as well as other beverages, is to use a toothpaste containing a whitening agent,” advised Dr. Wolff.
(Source: NYU College of Dentistry news release, April 2009)
