White wine rots your teeth... and brushing makes it worse

White wines do more damage to your teeth than reds, a study has found.
Scientists have found whites such as Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio wear away enamel more quickly than red wines such as Merlot and claret.

Researchers say prolonged contact with white wine erodes the protective layer - making teeth more sensitive to cold, hot and sweet food.

While it is obvious to drinkers that red wines can leave unsightly stains on teeth, the damage caused by white wines is less well known.

A team from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, looked at the effects of eight red and white wines from Germany, France, Italy and Spain on the enamel of teeth removed from men and women aged 40 to 65.

The teeth were soaked in wines for up to 24 hours and then carefully analysed under the microscope.

Teeth soaked in whites had more damage than those left overnight in red wines, the researchers report in the journal Nutrition Research.

'Within the limits of this study, it can be predicted that frequent consumption of white wines might lead to severe dental erosion,' said co-author Dr Brita Willershausen.

Past studies have shown that fizzy drinks and lemon, orange and grapefruit juice can rot dental enamel.