Red Wine Does Not Prevent Tooth Decay

In November 2009, a study published in the Journal of Food Chemistry falsely claimed that red wine will prevent tooth decay.

Red wine prevents tooth decay as much as white sugar prevents tooth decay. Scientists (of course from Italy) conclude that red wine prevents tooth decay by looking at how red wine affects Streptococcus mutans in a petri dish.

When red wine was added to an experiment where bacteria were sticking to fake teeth, the bacteria Streptococcus mutans stopped sticking. Therefore the scientist wrongly concluded that red wine stops cavities.

More About Red Wine and Tooth Decay

Bacteria in the mouth do not cause cavities. The scientist makes the assumption that Streptococcus mutans causes cavities. Therefore anything that will kill it, from Coke, to raisins, to bleach, can be said then to cure cavities, as if food has no other effect on the body at all. Rinsing the mouth with alcohol does not stop tooth decay either. A lack of nutrition is the cause of physical degeneration. If you want to know more about the real causes of tooth decay and some false assumptions about it, check out my tooth decay facts and myths pages.

Personally I find that most red wines adversely affect my health. I know that sulfates and other additives in wine could be one reason why. It is possible, in an ideal case, that a wine would give nutrients and probiotics to the body and therefore prevent cavities.

I have not found wine of this quality produced commercially. It would require that most or all of the grape sugar be fermented and turned into alcohol or vitamins. I have come across one homemade bottle. I suggest that if you want good wine, learn how to make it at home, or expect to pay lots of money and do significant research to find vineyards who do not cut corners or use additives.