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Are you doing one of these 3, common everyday things that actually hurt your teeth? Let's find out!
1. Brush Before or After Breakfast?
Plenty of people wake up in the morning and eat breakfast before brushing their teeth. They don’t want the taste of toothpaste in their mouth when they’re eating, and if they’re going to get their mouth dirty with food right after brushing, why not wait? Makes sense, right? Wrong!
It’s important to brush your teeth first thing in the morning after waking up to remove the bacteria that has formed overnight. Letting it sit and then mix with your breakfast is a recipe for disaster. This runs a much higher risk of infection. If you brush right after waking up, all you’ll need after breakfast is a quick mouthwash.
Another reason brushing your teeth after breakfast is a no-go is because you shouldn’t brush your teeth right after a meal. After eating, your mouth needs time for your saliva to neutralize the pH in your mouth that comes from food. This takes a little over half an hour. If you brush without waiting, it actually harms your teeth by removing acid and causing erosion, all the while losing tooth enamel.
2. Snack Attack!
This is a lesser one, but if you can manage to do it then it will be helpful: avoiding snacking in between meals can have a huge impact on dental health. For one, it decreases contact between your teeth and food, as having food lingering in your mouth in between meals can lead to gingivitis and plaque.
3. How Dark is Your Drink?
If you can, avoid dark drinks. Try to drink only clear liquids. Darker drinks have higher pH levels and easily cause erosion in your teeth. If you can, chewing sugar-free gum after drinks can help neutralize the negative effects.
