I've spent a solid 90 minutes tasting through multiple vintages of Napa cabernets – about three dozen in all – and now comes the moment of truth. I check my teeth in a bathroom mirror at the Culinary Institute of America and … ack, someone looks like a yuck mouth!
My teeth are stained purple, as are the rims of my lips, and I worry that I'll be mistaken as a cavity creep if I smile in the outside world.
Wine remains one of life's great pleasures, but it doesn't leave the best impression on those pearly whites. So what do you do when you love wine but don't want to turn into a purple-stained snaggletooth?
Teeth bleaching can cost more than $400 at the dentist. Over-the-counter whitening kits may be cheaper but often require multiple applications.
Why not try to minimize stains from the get-go? You'll see some tasters in their cars scrubbing with a toothbrush – sans toothpaste, of course – during an extended day of wine tasting.
While sipping through Lodi, we recently came across a product called "Wine Wipes" in the gift shop at Jessie's Grove Winery. These wipes are something like Stridex pads for your teeth, and with a few rubs helped lift the purple from our teeth.
The downside: Wine Wipes taste yucky, so rinse with water after using them. (Check out www.winewipes.com for more info.)
What tips would a dentist offer? We asked Dr. Craig Makishima, a Sacramento dentist, for some final tips.
"Some wines that are more acidic can open up the pores in the teeth, which makes them more apt to absorb stains," says Makishima. "You can help minimize acidity by swishing club soda, which acts as a base. And if you consume a lot of wine, that can increase the amount of cavities, too. It's best to swoosh some water in your mouth after tasting and spit it out."
Have your own home remedies for minimizing wine stains on teeth? Send an e-mail to cmacias@sacbee.com and we'll share them with readers. Oh, and don't forget to floss.
Call Bee food and wine writer Chris Macias, (916) 321-1253.
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