Brushing your teeth at certain times is not only not beneficial but can also erode tooth enamel, which over time can cause tooth decay and many other dental problems.
After vomiting or reflux
Reflux and vomiting are common conditions that affect people of all ages. Many people are surprised to learn that they should not brush their teeth immediately after experiencing reflux or vomiting.
Dr. Niyati Arora, a dentist at Krown Hub Dental Clinic (Pitampura, Delhi, India), explains that vomit consists of undigested food along with the acid produced by our stomach that helps digest the food.
This makes it acidic. When we vomit, the mouth and throat become acidic. This acidic environment weakens the tooth enamel because of the mineralized outer structure of the tooth.
If we brush our teeth at this point, one thing that can happen is that the enamel is easily worn away because it is already in a weak state and we will rub the acid in our mouth all over our teeth, exposing more tooth surfaces to the strong acid and making the situation worse.
Agreeing, Dr. Nisha Thakkar, cosmetic dentist at Dr Karishma Aesthetics Dental Clinic (Bangalore, India), adds that tooth enamel is the calcium layer that covers the surface of the tooth. It can be eroded by acid. So, after vomiting, it is ideal to wait for the acidic pH to return to neutral, which usually takes 30 to 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can also rinse your mouth with mouthwash followed by water to help neutralize the acidity in your mouth.
After breakfast
Brushing your teeth right after breakfast can actually coat your teeth with acidic food residue, weakening the enamel. Therefore, it is advisable to wait 30 minutes to an hour after eating to brush your teeth to ensure that you do not damage your enamel, especially after eating acidic foods.
Instead of brushing your teeth after eating, it’s often better to brush your teeth before breakfast. This is because while you sleep, the bacteria that cause plaque in your mouth will multiply. This is part of the reason why many people can wake up with a “moss” taste and “morning breath.”
Removing those bacteria with a fluoride toothpaste will help remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth. It also coats your tooth enamel with a protective layer that resists acids in food.
Furthermore, brushing your teeth as soon as you wake up in the morning also helps stimulate saliva production. Saliva helps break down food and kill harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Right after eating sweets
According to the Mayo Clinic, some experts recommend waiting at least an hour after eating something sweet to brush your teeth to give your mouth time to wash away the acid. Anything with sugar can increase the amount of acid in your mouth. This includes soda, sports drinks, sour candy, industrial fruit juices, etc.
Dr. Beth Caunitz, a dentist in New York City (USA), added that people should also avoid brushing their teeth immediately after drinking carbonated drinks because they are acidic.
Instead of brushing your teeth after eating sweets, experts recommend drinking a glass of water because water will wash away all the unwanted acids.
However, Dr. Gonzalez-Cabezas – University of Michigan School of Dentistry (USA) noted that brushing teeth after eating sweets helps remove harmful sugars that can damage tooth enamel. Thanks to toothpaste, brushing teeth immediately after will also provide fluoride to teeth, helping to promote the remineralization process.
For those who love sweets or snack on sugary foods, experts recommend drinking plenty of water, using toothpaste that contains remineralizing agents like fluoride, and visiting the dentist regularly to monitor tooth decay and other oral conditions.
