Tips On How To Avoid “Wine Mouth”

Bethany Biron explains how to avoid that age-old problem: red wine mouth.

As an enthusiast of wine — specifically, cheap wine from Trader Joe’s — I’ve had my fair share of dreaded wine mouth.

Despite lipsticks lining the aisles of Sephora in shades like “Cabernet Crush” and “Bordeaux Beauty,” waking up to stained lips and tinted teeth isn’t exactly chic. While I personally try to stick to white wine, it can be hard to avoid the siren call of a full-bodied red.

Luckily, there are some preventive steps you can take to avoid looking like an extra on “The Walking Dead” after a few glasses of malbec. Dr. Ruchi Sahota, spokeswoman for the American Dental Association, recommends brushing your teeth right before going out to help rid teeth of plaque, which dark, acidic beverages like red wine and coffee thrive on.

“Enamel is one of the hardest substances in our body, but it’s extremely susceptible to acid,” she said. “While drinking, try not to swish wine or hold it in your mouth for longer than you need to. Sip it and swallow.”

Another trick is to avoid drinking white wine before red, as it corrodes enamel and primes it for deeper staining. If you’re feeling especially cautious, Dr. Sahota suggests drinking from a straw. (Though that may not score you new friends at a party.)

Courtesy of the New York Times