The sentiment that timing is everything applies to more than just major life events. It also applies to brushing your teeth. To understand why timing is important in tooth brushing it is helpful to have a basic understanding of how your digestive system works.
Brushing your teeth twice daily at optimal times, supports a healthy mouth and body for a few key reasons.
Saliva Protects Your Teeth
Your mouth is part of your digestive system and is where digestion actually begins. Chewing produces saliva, which is actually digestive juice that moistens food so it can more easily move through your esophagus into your stomach.1 Besides removing food and food particles from your teeth and gums, saliva breaks down food and enhances your ability to taste food.
In addition, saliva contains disease-fighting substances which prevent infections as well as prevent cavities, and saliva keeps your teeth strong by providing high levels of calcium, fluoride and phosphate ions.2 Although saliva is 98 percent water it contains small amounts of important substances, including mucus, proteins, minerals, electrolytes, antibacterial compounds and enzymes.3
When you think about food, smell food, or actually eat food, the salivary glands secrete saliva — up to 4 pints on average every day for most people.4 The minerals in saliva work to repair acid damage to tooth enamel in a process called remineralization. Strong tooth enamel prevents cavities from forming.
Don’t Brush Right After You Eat
Most people brush their teeth right after a meal. That period right after eating anything is the time when your saliva is actively working to repair any acid damage to the tooth enamel caused by the foods you ate. If you get up from the table and go brush your teeth immediately, or brush your teeth immediately after a snack, you are actually taking the acid in your mouth and brushing it into your teeth, wearing away the enamel.5 If you do brush right after breakfast and dinner then there will be long periods of time when your teeth are clean and bacteria isn’t able to metabolize sugars, causing cavities or enamel decay.
When is the Right Time to Brush Your Teeth?
The factor that determines the best time to brush your teeth actually comes down to what you are eating. If you consume acidic foods, like coffee, fruit or orange juice, the American Dental Association recommends that you wait 60 minutes before brushing your teeth.6 For many of us, an hour wait after breakfast would mean that we have to either get up earlier than usual or brush our teeth at work.
Brushing before you eat breakfast, chewing ADA approved sugarless gum for 20 minutes,7 and swishing with water to remove lodged food particles are all alternatives to brushing, but none are as effective as brushing. To avoid having your morning coffee stain your teeth, try to drink your coffee all at once rather than sipping on it throughout the morning. After you finish your coffee, swish your mouth with water.
Instead of brushing your teeth after dinner, brush them just before you go to bed. In the morning, get up early to eat and exercise and brush before leaving home for the day. It takes a little time to get used to a new routine, but your tooth enamel will become healthier if you pay attention to what you eat and the timing of your brushing.
Visit the Dentist
Dental health is easy to keep in check with proper oral health habits such as brushing your teeth at the right times and regular visits to the dentist for cleanings. Having a healthy mouth can improve your quality of life and overall health and our Walled Lake dental practice is committed to helping patients achieve this.
Dr. Hechtman has been providing dental care for over 40 years and offers a full range of services including dental treatments such as dentures and dental implants and cosmetic dentistry including dental veneers and invisible braces. Stay on top of your oral health and call our dental office today for a Free Dental Consultation!
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1 Your Digestive System and How it Works, National Institutes of Health
Link: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works#food#
2 Saliva
Link: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/s/saliva#
3, 4 The Importance of Saliva
Link: https://www.deltadental.com/us/en/protect-my-smile/basics/oral-anatomy/the-importance-of-saliva.html
5 Dental Hygienist’s Viral TikTok Explains When You Actually Should be Brushing Your Teeth, by Alysia Bebel, 8/30/2021
6 When to Brush Your Teeth in the Morning: Yes, the Timing Matters by Amanda Capritto, 3/24/2021
Link: https://www.cnet.com/health/dental-care/when-to-brush-your-teeth-in-the-morning-yes-the-timing-matters/
7 Chewing Gum to Prevent Cavities
Link: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/c/chewing-gum