Brushing your teeth is an important element of your daily routine. It aids in maintaining proper oral hygiene and preventing dental disorders such as cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. But, when it comes to your morning routine, should you brush your teeth before or after breakfast? The answer is not so simple, as both options have advantages and disadvantages.
Brushing Your Teeth Before Breakfast
Breakfast is often associated with sugary carbs such as cereals, breads, muffins, and pancakes. These fermentable carbohydrates are the favourite meal of oral bacteria. The bacterial levels in your mouth are at their highest in the morning, resulting in bad breath. Brushing your teeth before breakfast removes microorganisms and denies them the opportunity to feast on your food.
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Jump-starting Saliva Production
Another reason to brush before breakfast is to stimulate saliva production, which is one of the most powerful protective forces for teeth. Saliva strengthens teeth by depositing minerals that germs may have eroded overnight. It also contains bicarbonate, which aids in the neutralisation of acidity in the mouth. If your toothpaste contains fluoride, it will build your enamel and neutralise the acids from breakfast, making your teeth more resistant to decay.
Preventing Forgetting or Running Out of Time
If you have a hectic morning routine, you may run out of time or forget to wash your teeth later. This is especially true if you have children, because cleaning your teeth is probably the last thing on your mind after you’ve had breakfast and are racing out the door. Brushing as part of your “getting up” routine eliminates this risk.
Brushing Your Teeth After Breakfast
Some dentists, on the other hand, believe that brushing your teeth after breakfast is preferable. They suggest that even if you brush just before breakfast, bacteria stay in your mouth and can multiply and make acids during breakfast and the rest of the day, so brush after you eat to minimise that lingering food.
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Allowing Fluoride to Work
The fluoride in your toothpaste will last longer if it is not displaced by chewing food immediately after brushing. Brushing your teeth too soon after a meal, especially one with acidic liquids like coffee or orange juice, according to some experts, will harm your enamel. That is correct, but the damage would be so minor that it would have no effect on the health of your teeth.
Waiting 30 Minutes After a Meal to Brush
Brushing your teeth should be done at least 30 minutes after a meal. You can drink water or gargle to get rid of any leftover meal parts before then. Most people eat breakfast quickly, frequently finishing their meal in 10 to 15 minutes. Because that is insufficient time to cause significant harm, the benefits of brushing after breakfast outweigh the drawbacks.
The Bottom Line
Brushing before or after breakfast is ultimately a matter of personal preference. While both options have advantages and disadvantages, there is no definitive answer because there have been few studies on the subject. The most important thing is to develop and maintain a consistent brushing practise that works for you.
Brushing before breakfast may be the best option for you if you eat breakfast quickly and want to ensure that germs do not have the opportunity to feed on your food. Brushing after breakfast may be the best option if you tend to forget to brush later in the day or if you want to minimise residual food and bacteria.
Whether you brush before or after breakfast, make sure to use fluoride toothpaste and brush for at least two minutes twice a day. This will aid in the maintenance of proper oral hygiene and the prevention of dental problems in the long run.
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