The Truth about Healthy Teeth

Many people were shocked to hear this, If you’ve been brushing your teeth immediately after eating a high acid meal, you should stop and get that 60 minute break, so we decided to dig up some more detailed information. Brushing your teeth within half an hour of eating a meal or drinking a cup of coffee could ensure your teeth suffer worse damage. Anytime you eat or drink anything that is sugary, the bacteria in your mouth feed on these sugars to make acids.

Research proofs that brushing your teeth immediately after consuming acidic foods and drinks increases the chance of enamel erosion. Acid reflux poses a similar problem: While it might seem like a good idea to brush after a reflux episode, doing so can damage your teeth.

Acid attacks the teeth, eroding enamel and the layer below it, called dentin. Brushing your teeth can accelerate this process, said Dr. Howard R. Gamble, president of the Academy of General Dentistry. 

“With brushing, you could actually push the acid deeper into the enamel and the dentin,” he said. In one study, a group of volunteers were followed for three weeks as researchers examined the impact of brushing on their teeth after they drank diet soda. The scientists found an increase in dentin loss when brushing your teeth in the 20 minutes after drinking soda. Therefore, to help prevent dental erosion, it is recommended you avoid brushing for at least 60 minutes after eating or drinking acidic foods or drinks.

If you’ve been brushing your teeth immediately after eating a high acid meal, you should stop and get that 60 minute break.