Should I brush my teeth before or after breakfast?

Doctor Dao Le Minh Duc, a specialist in Dentistry, Hung Vuong General Hospital, Phu Tho, said that daily oral care is important, not only for aesthetics, but a clean and beautiful set of teeth also receives sympathy from the other person.

According to habit, when waking up, people usually brush their teeth before eating breakfast, but some people think that brushing their teeth after breakfast is good for their teeth. In simple terms, after eating, food sticks to the teeth, so it needs to be cleaned, otherwise it will cause tooth decay in the long run. But before eating breakfast, there is no need to clean the teeth.

Illustration photo.

However, after a night's sleep, the saliva production process slows down, leading to an increase in bacteria in the mouth. Not to mention, the amount of food eaten from the night before that has not been cleaned is still stuck between the teeth... This causes an unpleasant taste in the mouth and bad breath, so you will feel the need to brush your teeth immediately before eating breakfast.

Therefore, the most effective way is to brush your teeth right after waking up, then brush again after breakfast. If you don't have time, brushing your teeth after breakfast is more necessary, the doctor said. The reason is that when you wake up without brushing your teeth, then eat breakfast, food and bacteria are still there, brushing your teeth once after eating will solve all the plaque from the night before until after breakfast.

"Cleaning your teeth right after waking up only makes you feel fresher and more comfortable. Brushing after breakfast is still more important," the doctor said.

Some information suggests that brushing your teeth right after breakfast can increase the risk of tooth wear because at this time the teeth are covered with a layer of acidic food, and external influences can easily damage them. This is completely untrue. What erodes tooth enamel is the acid from overnight food, not the act of brushing. Brushing only cleans that acid, so it cannot erode tooth enamel.

About the number of times brushing teethAccording to Dr. Duc, brushing your teeth twice a day, in the morning and evening after meals, is enough. If you have time, you can brush once more at noon, which is best. When brushing, you should use a soft-bristled brush and brush gently to clean the outside surface.

Some mistakes that cause harm when brushing your teeth, such as using a toothbrush that is too hard, or scrubbing too hard. Many people think that brushing harder will clean better, but in fact, the gaps between teeth cannot be cleaned by brushing, you have to use dental floss, water pick... And brushing your teeth only requires gentle cleaning with a soft-bristled toothbrush.

Brushing your teeth should last for 2-3 minutes, not too long and more than three times a day will cause tooth wear. In addition, you should not brush too fast. Doctors say that most people only brush for 30-50 seconds, which does not clean the teeth completely. If after eating, you feel that your mouth is not clean and has an odor, instead of continuing to brush your teeth, you can rinse your mouth with salt water or a suitable mouthwash.