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It can be. Eating starts an acid attack in your mouth that lasts about 20 minutes, and acid softens the surface of your enamel. Brushing during that window can wear softened enamel away. Wait at least 20 minutes after a meal. After acidic food or drinks such as citrus, juice, pop or coffee, the American Dental Association suggests waiting 60 minutes.
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Answered by the team at Bright White Dental Hygiene Clinic in Riverview, NB, serving Moncton and Dieppe.
Full transcript of the video answer on whether it is bad to brush your teeth right after eating, given by Amber-Lee, IRDH, at Bright White Dental Hygiene Clinic in Riverview, NB, serving Moncton and Dieppe.
Question: Is It Bad to Brush Your Teeth Right After Eating?
“Brushing right after you eat can actually hurt your teeth. As soon as you eat, your mouth goes into an acid attack for 20 minutes. If you brush your teeth right after, you can actually wear away the enamel while you're brushing the tooth structure. If you have a teeth question, let me know in the comments.”
Bacteria in plaque turn the sugar and starch in your meal into acid, and acidic food or drink adds more. While the acid is there, the enamel surface is softer than usual. Saliva then neutralizes the acid and the enamel hardens again.
Pressing a toothbrush and toothpaste against softened enamel removes a little of it each time. Once is nothing. Twice a day for years is how teeth get thin and sensitive.
Say you have orange juice and toast at 7:30 and leave the house at 8:00. Brushing at 7:45 lands right in the soft window, and orange juice is acidic, so the wait is an hour. Two better options: brush before breakfast and rinse with water after eating, or eat first and brush at 8:30 when you get to work.
People who sip coffee, pop or sports drinks all morning keep their mouths acidic for hours, so brushing in between does the most damage for them. The same goes for anyone with reflux, and anyone whose teeth already feel sensitive to cold, since acid wear is a common reason.
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At your cleaning, Amber-Lee's team will look for signs of acid wear and tell you what to change.
