Can You Drink Wine after Teeth Whitening? By John Meola on January 02, 2016

In moderation, not only is wine one of life’s great pleasures, but it is also good for your health. However, it is not all that great for the appearance of your teeth. As you might imagine, red wine is one of the most powerful staining agents in existence. What might surprise you, however, is that studies have shown that even white wine makes the teeth more vulnerable to tea stains and potentially other staining agents, as well.

Fortunately, professional teeth whitening systems, such as the state-of-the-art Zoom! 2™ teeth whitening system featured at Dental Associates of New England, can dramatically lighten or altogether eliminate stubborn stains left by wine and other foods and liquids. Indeed, patients can achieve teeth that are multiple shades whiter in just about an hour with the Zoom! 2™ system, results that can last for five years or longer with proper brushing and flossing and regular dental appointments.

Does this mean that patients have to forgo wine after teeth whitening treatment in order to maintain their results? Not necessarily. Our dentists are pleased to discuss the relationship between wine and teeth whitening during consultations at our Boston, MA cosmetic dentistry practice before patients undergo the procedure. If you would like to learn more about teeth whitening, we encourage you to schedule your consultation with one of our esteemed dentists today.

About Wine Stains

There are two basic types of stains that affect the teeth: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic stains affect the surface of the teeth and are therefore much easier to address than intrinsic stains. Like all stains caused by food and beverages, wine stains are extrinsic and, as such, tend to respond well to teeth whitening treatments.

Drinking Wine after Teeth Whitening Treatment

During the first 48 to 72 hours after your teeth whitening treatment, your teeth will be highly vulnerable to staining. You must abstain from any food or liquid that could stain your teeth, as well as activities such as smoking. Wine would be absolutely out of the question.

After this initial post-treatment period, you can begin drinking wine again, but with the realization that common sense will go a long way toward ensuring the longevity of your results. Stains build up over time in response to prolonged exposure to staining agents, of course; a glass of wine is not going to cause your teeth to become discolored. However, if you engage in exactly the same eating, drinking, and lifestyle habits that caused your teeth to become discolored in the first place, then you should not expect your teeth whitening results to last as long as they otherwise would.

If you exercise caution when drinking wine - for example, by not savoring each sip by letting it sit in your mouth before swallowing, but rather simply drinking it - it won’t come into prolonged contact with your most visible teeth anyway. Brush and floss regularly, and use the touch-up whitening kit we will provide to you, and wine stains shouldn’t threaten your results within the first few years of treatment.