Prolonged in vitro exposure to white wines enhances the erosive damage on human permanent teeth compared with red wines

The aim of this in vitro study was to determine and compare the erosive potentials of red and white wines, exerted on enamel surfaces prepared from extracted human permanent teeth. European wines (50 red, 50 white wines) from different regions were purchased, and the pH values were measured. Eight wines with different pH values were selected. Enamel samples with an average surface area of 25 mm2 were prepared from 25 extracted permanent teeth from male and female patients aged 40 to 65 years and incubated with wines for up to 24 hours; the amounts of released calcium were determined colorimetrically, and mean surface roughness was measured with a profilometer. A quantitative elemental analysis for Ca was carried out in various depths (5-50 μm), using an electron probe microanalyzer. Incubation of the enamel surfaces with different wines caused a time-dependent release of calcium. After 24 hours, white wines caused a significantly higher (P = .003) Ca release (range: 8.74-28.56 mg dL−1 25 mm−2) than red wines (range: 4.85-19.43 mg dL−1 25 mm−2), whereas the values for surface roughness were similar (white wines: 2.67 ± 0.92 μm; red wines: 2.64 ± 0.66 μm). Incubation with white wines resulted in a higher loss of Ca down to a depth of 60 μm. In this study, it was demonstrated that white wines have higher erosive potentials than red wines. Within the limits of this in vitro study, it can be predicted that a frequent consumption of white wines might lead to severe dental erosion.