Red wine's latest health property - it's the secret of a better smile

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Forget apples or mouthwash - a glass of Bordeaux may be the best thing for your teeth.

Scientists have found that certain compounds in red wine could play a role in preventing gum disease and tooth loss. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Dental Research in Orlando, Florida, yesterday.

Researchers from Laval University in Quebec, Canada, studied the effect of extracts from Bordeaux wines on different types of periodontal diseases, which affect the gums and bone around the teeth. Periodontitis affects more than two-thirds of adults over 50 and one in seven people aged between 21 and 50. The diseases can often lead to tooth loss if left untreated.

The scientists looked at polyphenols, compounds that are found in the skin and seeds of grapes. When wine is made from grapes, the alcohol produced by the fermentation process dissolves the polyphenols. White wine does not contain as many polyphenols because the production process involves removing the skins after the grapes have been crushed.

When extracts of Bordeaux wine were used to treat periodontal bacteria in laboratory conditions, the Quebec scientists found that the polyphenols had a "significant inhibitory" effect on the growth of the bacteria. They concluded that the compounds could help to prevent the spread of gum diseases.

However, the experts also found that polyphenols can have a toxic effect on other cells in the mouth, and warned that more work was needed to discover how to harness the benefits from red wine extracts without the risks.

Excess alcohol intake is known to increase the risk of mouth cancer. But red wine has been shown to have a number of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease, again because of the polyphenols it contains.

Red wine has also been found to be a good source of fibre, which can help to prevent bowel cancer.

Last month, Italian scientists found that feeding fish a certain polyphenol in red wine, resveratrol, extended their lives by up to 60 per cent.

Scientists are now working on a pill that could deliver the compound in a safer, though obviously less pleasant, way than by drinking red wine.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in