Dental health : the prosecco at the centre of controversy between the English and the Italians

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Published the 04.09.2017 at 17h34

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Between Italy and the United Kingdom breath currently a storm in a glass of water. With a little alcohol, and a few bubbles. The attacks are coming around the prosecco, white wine, sweet and sparkling from the region of Venice, North-East of the Italian boot.

The object of the offence : the message of experts dental the british, who have dared to criticize its deleterious effects on the teeth of its consumers. They even went as far to give them a special name : the ” prosecco smile “. The smile prosecco, in French. Sacrilege !

Consumer n°1

In an article in the Daily Mail entitled “How the prosecco rots the teeth of the nation,” Dr Mervyn Druian, of the london Centre for cosmetic dentistry warns his fellow citizens : “It is acidic and contains a lot of sugar. If you drink a few drinks is not a problem, excessive consumption is a source of problems “.

It must be said that the British are particularly fond of the beverage the venetian. In 2016, they drank 40 million litres is… a third of world production ! The wine, cheap and obviously adapted to the local palate, has conquered the supermarkets of the island. In recent years, major retailers have increased promotions. The latest : Lidl offered this summer a carton of six bottles for less than 22 euros.

Acidity, sugar, alcohol

The prosecco would have, according to the british experts, a number of elements to attack the teeth. In the first place, the acidity : the wine is acidic in nature and the carbon dioxide bubbles adds a layer. In addition , the prosecco is very sweet, much more than the champagne, for example. It contains about a tablespoon of sugar per flute. Alcohol is also bad for the teeth. “A triple curse,” says professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the Association of dentistry british.

The problem, for dentists, lies partly in the mode of consumption of the prosecco : unlike other wine acids that accompany the meal, rather it is consumed as an aperitif, or – most of the time – in the evening. The wine has plenty of time to make its effect on the teeth.

“The smile prosecco appears when the gums begin to recede, says Dr Druian. It starts with a white line just below the gum, which, by probing, appears a little soft. This is the royal road to dental caries, which leads to fillings and dental work that are most important. “