Did you know that there are certain times you should NOT brush your teeth? We’re taught from a young age that we need to brush twice a day, but it turns out timing is important when it comes to the oral hygiene routine. Chicago-based dentist Dr. Suhail Mohiuddin, known as dr.m_ on TikTok, warns about brushing immediately after eating because it could damage your teeth.
It turns out, after eating, our mouths are more acidic than usual, so it’s not an ideal time to brush. “When your mouth is in an acidic state, brushing can remove enamel,” he explains. Tooth enamel is the hard outer coating on teeth that protects them from decay and erosion, so we don’t want to mess with that. Dr. M demonstrates in a video by testing his mouth with pH strips after drinking coffee to check how acidic it is.
He tests his mouth five, 10, 15 and 20 minutes after drinking and the acidity is finally low enough after 30 minutes to grab that toothbrush and get to work. So aside from waiting half an hour after eating, when is the ideal time to be brushing? Dr. M says it’s best to brush before eating and before bed and to rinse with a non-alcoholic mouthwash with fluoride right after. He suggests another way to protect tooth enamel is to “spit and leave a tiny excess amount of toothpaste on your teeth.”
Source: Men’s Health
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