Dentist reveals the three times you should never brush your teeth
- Dentist warns against brushing teeth after vomiting and eating sugar
- This is because brushing when the mouth is acidic can lead to tooth decay
We all know that we should brush our teeth twice a day.
But there are cases when you should never brush them, according to London-based dentist Dr Shaadi Manouchehri.
Using your toothbrush right after breakfast, after vomiting, or after chewing candy can destroy your enamel, she warned.
Although you may want to clean your mouth as soon as possible if you have been sick, this can make the situation worse.
Brushing your teeth right after breakfast, after vomiting, or after chewing sweets can damage your enamel. According to London-based dentist Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri, who shared her expert advice on Instagram
“The contents of the stomach are extremely acidic and the mouth is in a very acidic state, so if you brush right afterward you’re actually wearing away your enamel,” Dr. Manouchehri said in an Instagram video shared with her 19,000 followers.
But the mouth is also sour after eating.
That’s because acid is produced when the bacteria in your mouth break down the sugar in food.
This acid dissolves the tooth surface, which is the first stage of tooth decay.
That’s why brushing immediately after breakfast is never a good idea.
“When you’ve just eaten, the mouth is in a very acidic state, so when you brush your teeth you rub that acid on the tooth, which is a mineral and it can wear it down,” said Dr. Manouchehri.
If you pick up your toothbrush too soon after eating sweets, you also risk tooth decay because acid is rubbed around the mouth.
To prevent this, Dr. Manouchehri says you should wait at least an hour before brushing your teeth after eating sweets.
She said, “If you have just eaten candy, the mouth has digested it into an acid that is rubbed on the teeth and destroys the enamel.”
According to the NHS, sugary foods and drinks are one of the leading causes of tooth decay.
Tooth decay can be caused by the build-up of a sticky layer of bacteria called plaque.
Over time, this bacteria damages the surface of your teeth, causing holes and white, brown, or black spots on the tooth.
Other signs of tooth decay include toothache and a sharp pain in the tooth when eating or drinking hot, cold or sweet things.