Often times, people ask when the best time to brush their teeth is whether before or after food.
When you Brush with a fluoride containing toothpaste, you achieve the following:
- Remove plaque (the whitish substance which forms on the teeth and contains cavity causing bacteria.)
- Remove food particles that serve as fuel for tooth decay/cavity causing organisms in the mouth.
- Supply the teeth with fluoride which help prevent tooth decay.
- Prevent bad breath.
There are generally two schools of thought:
The first one says brush immediately after food to remove food particles and in turn prevent tooth decay while the second school encourages brushing before food to remove plaque.
Brushing immediately after taking acidic food or drinks such as orange, lemon or soft drinks may lead to the wearing down of the teeth. This is because the acidic foods/drinks have the tendency to cause erosion of the teeth and brushing immediately could cause more harm. It is therefore advisable to wait for about 30mins after taking acidic foods/drinks before brushing the teeth.
My take: brush before eating(this removes plaque-cavity causing micro organisms) and if you must brush after eating, wait for 30mins before brushing to prevent the wearing down of your teeth.
Please note: Dentists generally recommend brushing with a fluoride containing toothpaste twice daily: in the morning and last thing before going to bed at night. Once you brush at night the only thing you are allowed to take is water.
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