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“Some people I know brush their teeth as soon as they get up and some wait until after breakfast. Does it really matter when I brush my teeth?”

We all know we should brush our teeth morning and night. And if you want to have the most impact on your oral health, you should brush your teeth BEFORE eating a meal.

Here are three solid reasons why you should brush teeth before or after breakfast:

• Bacteria react with sugars creating acids almost instantly.

Overnight the bacteria in your mouth mature into a biofilm on your teeth and are ready to take in sugar and produce an acid that causes cavities.

• Salivary levels are lowest in the morning.

Your saliva contains calcium ions that help remineralize your teeth, protecting them from the damage of acids. Brushing your teeth before breakfast gets the salivary juices flowing, and along with the fluoride in the toothpaste, protects your teeth against demineralization.

• Acidic and sugary drinks and foods can soften your enamel.

Acid is produced by the bacterial plaque when the bacteria consume sugar. This will soften the enamel on your teeth for 20 minutes after eating. If you remove the plaque before eating, no acid will be produced.In addition the PH level in your mouth is altered, making your teeth more susceptible to decay, abrasion and sensitivity.

Below are three reasons you may not want to brush your teeth BEFORE breakfast:

•  I’ll have food stuck in between my teeth!

 I recommend that you floss and use a Water Pik to remove any residual food particles that may be lingering after eating a meal.

• I don’t want the minty taste of the toothpaste messing up the taste of my coffee or my breakfast!

You can brush your teeth with a dry toothbrush, or use a toothpaste that doesn’t have sodium lauryl sulfate, which can alter taste sensation.

• I won’t have fresh breath after breakfast!

You can rinse with a mouthwash (preferably alkaline, to re-balance the PH in your mouth). And don’t forget to brush your tongue.  

Your partner in health,

Our Periodontist in The Woodlands and Expert in Dental Implants, Laser Gum Therapy and Crown lengthening.