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Dental Blog
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Should You Brush Right After You Eat? |
Posted on 12/21/2020 by office |
| Brushing your teeth after your meal is a good idea because it promotes oral hygiene. It helps get rid of bacteria, plaque, and food particles from your teeth and gums. For better results, you should brush your teeth at least two times per day. If possible, you can do it after each meal to optimize your dental health. Cleaning your teeth more often reduces bacterial growth while protecting your enamel against damage. But you must not brush your teeth straight away after finishing your food. Instead, you should be patient, at least for a half-hour after eating to brush. Why Should You Brush 30 Minutes After Meals? It is not right to brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking. If you do, you will interfere with your teeth enamel and your oral hygiene. The tooth enamel is the hardest substance that protects each tooth against damage. Unfortunately, acids from different types of foods can erode this protective layer, exposing your teeth to harmful elements. And during meal times, acid levels rise, thus weakening your teeth in the process. Since your body has a way to balance acid levels in the mouth, brushing your teeth shortly after a meal may interfere with the pH levels. In this case, you may take a short while to let the saliva wash away any food particles that might be in the mouth or in between your teeth. The saliva will help your mouth achieve the proper PH levels for the enamel to continue protecting your teeth. Brushing right after eating implies that you are interfering with your teeth's structure and strength. Even a soft-bristled toothbrush may become highly abrasive on your weak tooth enamel. This weakness comes as a result of high levels of acid in the mouth due to eating or drinking something acidic. Use a toothpaste that contains some fluoride to minimize cases of tooth decay, gingivitis, and plaque. For more information on your usual dental hygiene routine, feel free to contact us, and we will assist you accordingly.... Read more... |
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Gary J. Jacky, DMD