A group of researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University, reporting in the journal Nutrition Research, have suggested that frequent drinking of white wine may damage the teeth.
The effect is pH-mediated, and is most noticeable with Riesling wines, and was exacerbated by brushing the teeth soon after drinking wine. Red wines were noted to be much less damaging to teeth, and the researchers suggest that the deleterious effect of white wine might be mitigated by the ingestion of calcium-rich cheese.
BBC link. Photo: Bacchus (Caravaggio)
In the lab, adult teeth soaked in white wine for a day had a loss of both calcium and another mineral called phosphorus to depths of up to 60 micrometers in the enamel surface, which the researchers say is significant.
The effect is pH-mediated, and is most noticeable with Riesling wines, and was exacerbated by brushing the teeth soon after drinking wine. Red wines were noted to be much less damaging to teeth, and the researchers suggest that the deleterious effect of white wine might be mitigated by the ingestion of calcium-rich cheese.
BBC link. Photo: Bacchus (Caravaggio)
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/tooth.asp
A painting depicting a gay guy holding a glass of Red wine. ....? ;-)
"The effect is pH-mediated, and is most noticeable with Riesling wines, and was exacerbated by brushing the teeth soon after drinking wine."
Same goes for eating all kinds of healthy fruit-
Most dentists over here where I live give the advise not to brush your teeth shortly after eating an apple or other sour fruit because that damages the teeth too much.
Perhaps by now we may conclude that there is absolutely nothing we humans can do or consume that has no risks- Even breathing clean air gives the risk of oxidation and poisoning, if done too much....
I remember that the phosphorus levels in the ground around my elementary school created two days' vacation (via chocolate milk seeping out from the dumpsters in 1988)
People who work around wine especially wine tasters usually have extensive enamel erosion. Since they not only drink the wine but because they hold the wine in their mouth for a prolonged period of time. This is general knowledge in the dental profession, not quite sure why seems to be a new discovery.
Citrus drinks are even worse than wine.