A lot of people enjoy a nice glass of red wine from time to time. Whether you’re mad about Merlot or a sucker for Shiraz, red wine can be a very pleasant, flavorful, and aromatic alcoholic beverage to consume in moderation. Unfortunately, it also comes with some unwanted effects.
One of the unpleasant side effects of drinking red wine is that it can stain your teeth. Indeed, just like coffee and black tea, red wine is one of those beverages that can cause tooth discoloration and long-term stains that just won’t seem to go away.
Fortunately, you don’t have to give up red wine completely to avoid those stains. There are various steps you can take to make red wine teeth stains less likely to appear, as well as whitening methods to use to make any pre-existing stains fade away.
Can Red Wine Stain Teeth?
So, does red wine stain teeth? The simple answer is yes, and in general, anything that can stain your clothes will also be capable of staining your teeth, too, so that's something to keep in mind when thinking about the foods and drinks you consume.
Why Does Red Wine Stain Teeth?
In terms of how does red wine stain teeth, there are actually a few different reasons. Firstly, red wine is rich in tannins, which are natural compounds that make colorful dyes and compounds more likely to stick to the surface of your teeth.
Since red wine also contains natural colors and dyes that give it such a distinctive red or crimson color, the tannins work together with those dyes to produce a kind of colored saliva that sticks to your teeth and gradually impacts their appearance.
Not only that, but red wine also contains acids which can wear down the protective enamel layer on the outside of your teeth, making them even more likely to stain as the colorful compounds penetrate deeper.
How to Get Remove Red Wine Stains From Teeth?
Thankfully, you don’t have to simply stop drinking red wine entirely in order to avoid stained teeth. There are plenty of whitening methods that you can use to make those stains disappear, and in this section, we’ll highlight some common teeth whitening solutions for red wine stains.
- Clinical Treatment - One of the most effective and powerful methods for getting rid of red wine stains on teeth (as well as other stains and discoloration) is to book yourself in for clinical whitening treatment at your local dental practice. Dentists can make use of high-powered whitening chemicals to make stains disappear.
- OTC Treatments - There are also a range of over-the-counter or OTC teeth whitening products, such as whitening toothpaste, whitening strips, whitening gels, and whitening pens. These solutions make use of specialized ingredients to target stains and get rid of them, lightening and brightening your teeth by several shades.
- Homemade Treatments - It’s also possible to make some homemade solutions that can help to whiten your teeth. Baking soda is a great ingredient that you can mix with water and/or salt to make toothpaste or mouthwash which helps to wear away at surface stains and leave your teeth looking and feeling much fresher.
How to Prevent Red Wine from Staining Teeth
Prevention is usually better than treatment, and you’ll have an easier life and save money if you can simply stop red wine stains from appearing in the first place, instead of having to repeatedly treat them. With that in mind, here are some top tips and techniques you can use to reduce the risk of wine stains on your teeth.
- Switch to an Electric Toothbrush - Old-fashioned, manual toothbrushes are quite outdated nowadays, and many people have made the switch to electric models. If you’re still using an old toothbrush, switching to an electric toothbrush should help you clean your teeth more effectively.
- Brush Before Drinking - Many people make the mistake of thinking that they should brush their teeth after wine, but this actually makes things worse, as it rubs the acids and tannins into your teeth even deeper. It’s much better to brush beforehand to clear away any plaque and make the tannins less likely to stick.
- Drink Less - Red wine in moderation can be a pleasant treat, but too much of it could cause various health problems, as well as making your teeth more likely to get stained. Try to reduce your intake of wine so that it spends less time in contact with your teeth, reducing the chances of stains.
- Drink Water with Wine - It's also a really good idea to have a little sip of water after you've finished your wine. This almost works like a basic mouthwash, getting rid of those red and purple marks and preventing the tannins from lingering too long in your mouth. Sparkling water is particularly effective.
- Pair Wine with Food - It’s always recommended to eat the right foods with a glass of red wine, and this doesn’t just have culinary benefits; eating high-fiber veggies or hard cheeses with your wine is a great way to stop the red colors sticking to your teeth for too long.
- Use a Straw - It might not be the most elegant or traditional way to drink wine, but using a straw actually makes a lot of sense if you want to keep your teeth clean. When you drink through a straw, the wine doesn’t come into contact with your teeth as much, so there’s less time for the tannins to stick and stains to start forming.
- Try Teeth Wipes - Teeth wipes are becoming more and more popular among wine drinkers. As the name suggests, these are little wipes that you can rub on your teeth to get rid of any food or marks that are lingering after you eat or drink. They're really handy to use when you’re sipping some red wine.
- Chew Some Gum - One final tip to try is to keep some sugar-free gum on your person at all times. You can chew it a little before drinking some wine. The gum helps to defend your teeth from wine stains by removing plaque and clearing away any bits of food that the wine might soak into.
