A new study suggests the opposite of what wine drinkers have long believed to be true: Red wine may be good for your teeth.
According to the study, published today in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry and conducted by the Spanish National Research Council, antioxidants in red wine boost dental health. It’s all thanks to polyphenols, compounds found in red wine (as well as in other drinks like coffee, green and black tea, and cider, and foods such as blueberries and raspberries), which were found to help fend off harmful bacteria in the mouth, the BBC reported.
The study measured the effects of polyphenols from red wine against the same chemicals from grape seed and red wine extract supplements, each pitted against “bad” bacteria that stick to teeth and gums, causing dental decay and gum disease. The wine polyphenols were found to be the most effective in combatting the bacteria’s “sticking” ability. This was especially true when wine polyphenols were combined with Streptococcus dentisani, a possible oral probiotic (a promoter of good bacteria).
As the BBC suggests, the study could point toward new dental treatments and products that promote pearly whites and good dental hygiene with the most unlikely of ingredients: Red, red wine. Which leads to our next question: Can we get an Amazon Dash button for that?