3 Reasons To Avoid Brushing Your Teeth Straight After Meals

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Maintaining good oral hygiene plays a vital role in your overall well-being. For many people, that means reaching for the toothbrush immediately after eating, but health experts reveal that it isn’t ideal. On the other hand, not brushing your teeth regularly can also prove harmful, with a survey revealing that 37% of adults risk dental damage because they skip brushing their teeth for a couple of days. It’s all about knowing the best time to clean your teeth and why it’s not advisable to brush right after meals. Below are three reasons why. 

1. Acidic foods’ effect on tooth enamel


Many foods are highly acidic, including sugars, grains, fish, meat, cabbage, beets, and high-protein meals. Since most diets usually contain foods rich in acid, it’s best to avoid brushing immediately after consuming them. That is because this acid can negatively affect your teeth’s enamel and eventually cause it to wear off if you brush vigorously after meals. Although it is the hardest material in the body, it cannot be repaired when damaged, explaining why it’s best to wait a bit till the acid reduces before brushing. Acidic foods decrease the pH level in the oral cavity, making the teeth more vulnerable to potential damage. Therefore, dentists often advise waiting at least thirty minutes before brushing your teeth to allow ample time for more saliva production to neutralize the acidic content in the mouth. More of this natural lubricant helps neutralize the increased pH levels in the oral cavity.


2. Potential damage to dental work


If you’ve recently had some work done on your teeth, health experts recommend that you avoid brushing right after meals. For instance, if you had crowns, fillings, or bridge work done, brushing immediately after eating can lead to premature wear and damage. People often adopt a hard brushing approach when cleaning their mouths, and many prefer hard-bristled toothbrushes because of the assumption that they clean better. However, this can negatively affect your oral health. Remember that your mouth is left vulnerable to different enzyme reactions from food, and your dental work may be unable to withstand that added pressure. By waiting for an optimal time after eating, you can ensure the preservation of dental work done recently. Even better, waiting a bit longer spares you from unnecessary repairs. A trained dentist will often offer advice and guidelines on dos and don’ts after dental work.


3. Increased risk of abrasive action and gum sensitivity


Brushing your teeth twice a day is the recommended number of times to clean your mouth daily. Others, however, prefer to do more than that under the perception that the more, the better. Science disproves this by stating that toothbrush bristles have an abrasive action on the teeth, no matter what time of day they’re used. You can reduce this abrasive reaction by allowing your oral cavity to return to its normal sensitivity after eating. Failure to do this can predispose you to heightened gum and teeth sensitivity. Before you know it, you will be dealing with dentin hypersensitivity. Therefore, consider waiting half an hour before brushing your teeth after meals to enjoy long-term benefits.