According to the American Dental Association, you need to brush your teeth twice daily for 2 minutes each. However, it does not provide any guidelines on the precise time to do your brushing. This article looks at the advice that brushing your teeth after waking is better for your teeth than after breakfast.
Is It Better to Brush Before Breakfast?
While you sleep, plaque-causing bacteria multiply in your mouth. This is part of why you wake up with “morning breath” or a “mossy taste.” By washing those bacteria out with fluoride toothpaste, you can remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth. It also covers your enamel with a protective barrier against acid in your food.
Additionally, you should not brush your teeth after eating for 30 minutes if you eat something acidic. This includes citrus, toast, or coffee.
When you brush your teeth once you wake up, you can jump-start saliva production. According to a small study of 21 older adults, study participants saw an increase in saliva production for up to 5 minutes.
Precautions for Brushing Your Teeth After Breakfast
If it works with your morning brushing routine after breakfast, you can keep doing so. However, brushing after breakfast can cover your teeth with acidic food remnants. This can weaken your enamel. Some of the worst foods for your tooth enamel include:
● Citrus fruit
● Dried fruit
● Bread
● Orange juice
You can protect your teeth and enamel by waiting for 30 minutes to an hour after eating to brush your teeth. According to the American Dental Association, you should wait 60 minutes after eating acidic foods before brushing. You should also chew sugar-free gum or drink water after eating to clean your teeth before you brush.
How to Brush Your Teeth
You can follow the steps below:
1. Wet your brush head with water and apply a little toothpaste
2. Brush your teeth for two minutes, ensuring you’re brushing your front teeth, the sides of your teeth, and the chewing surface of your teeth.
3. Brush off bacteria residue from your tongue.
4. Spit out leftover toothpaste.
Conclusion
To protect your tooth enamel, you should brush after waking up in the morning instead of after breakfast. If you must brush your teeth after breakfast, wait 30 to 60 minutes before brushing. In any case, brushing in the morning whenever possible is much better than not brushing at all.
