Top dentist warns not to raise a glass to red wine

Richard Coates, of the multi-award winning Riveredge Cosmetic Dentistry practice in Sunderland, claims that not only is there little real evidence to support this claim but that it also could actually be detrimental to oral health.

A recent study published in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry by Spanish scientists said that polyphenols – which are found in the grapes used in red wine – may be able to reduce the ability of oral bacteria to cause gum disease.

But Coates, who is an internationally renowned dentist, believes that people should not be enticed into drinking more. He said, “Polyphenols have been shown to reduce the ability of the bacteria which cause gum disease to stick to gum and tooth surfaces and, on the face of it, this would suggest that it may be beneficial in reducing gum disease.

“However at this point there is very little scientific proof that polyphenols could be of use in the improvement in oral health and it is too early to be suggesting this.”