There’s only so much good news I can take in a day. But when I saw this tidbit, well, I was pretty stoked. After all, I spend a great deal of my time having to tell people to take it easy on the wine for various oral health reasons, including, but not limited to the terrific stains that some of the darker varieties can leave behind.
But, hey, when I see an article that’s been printed in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” that gives me a reason to rethink that old line, I’m all ears. I mean, you have to keep in mind that it’s just one study, but this could be really good news for my fellow oenophiles (that’s the technical term for “wine lovers”).
If you’ve sat in my chair for a cleaning, I’ve probably given you the old speech about how red wine, coffee, tea and other dark beverages can stain your teeth, making it necessary for you to have more frequent cleanings. I hate having to tell you that, mostly because there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a red wine or a dark black cup of coffee now and again.
I may have to rethink how I present that idea, though, after reading about a new report that suggests that certain red wine polyphenols, specifically caffeic and p-coumaric acids, may be able to fight back the bacteria that cause plaque, cavities and periodontal disease. Maybe it’s not rocket science, but it’s dental science, so it’s still pretty cool!
This isn’t an excuse to go down a bottle of red wine every night, but it’s interesting research and certainly something worth watching. You can read the original article from Science Daily here.
