05 Oct Does it matter when I brush my teeth?
You may think that it doesn’t matter when you brush your teeth, only that you do it. That’s not the case, though. If you’re not performing your oral hygiene routine at the right time, you could actually be harming your teeth. It’s important to brush your teeth when they won’t be weakened by acid exposure, a process that can cause issues that will need to be treated by your dentist.
How Your Breakfast Affects Your Teeth
Your tooth enamel may be the strongest substance in your body, but it’s still susceptible to erosion brought on by acidic substances. Unfortunately, the average American breakfast includes many acidic foods and beverages, such as fruit juice, sweetened cereals and other processed foods that include refined grains and sugar, like muffins and bagels.
Of course, some foods actually give your teeth a boost, and many of these can be incorporated into your breakfast for better oral health. Specifically, foods that contain calcium are a little easier on the teeth. Think how you might add foods like yogurt, spinach and chia seeds to your first meal of the day.
The Best Timing For Your Morning Routine
To avoid extra trips to the dentist for restorative treatments like fillings and crowns, as well as teeth whitening (because enamel erosion exposes the underlying yellow dentin layer), you should be brushing your teeth before you eat. Ideally, brushing your teeth will be one of the first things that you do in the morning, after taking a drink of water to clear away some of the oral bacteria that have hung around while you slept.
If for some reason you must wait until after you eat to brush, hold off for a while. Waiting 30 minutes to brush your teeth after a meal can reduce the damage that can occur.
Do you have questions about the timing of your morning oral hygiene routine? Ask at your next appointment or talk to one of our friendly team members at the office of Dr. Philip Kozlow to get the information that you need.