Should You Brush Your Teeth Before or After Breakfast?

We are all taught from an early age the importance of brushing your teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed, for two full minutes. One thing that many people still have a question about, however, is if it’s better to brush before or after eating breakfast in the morning. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each option.

Brushing Before Breakfast

It may seem counterintuitive to brush before you eat breakfast. After all, is there anything worse than drinking orange juice after gargling with a minty mouthwash? But right when you wake up, oral bacteria levels are high. These bacteria feed on the sugar found in carb-heavy breakfast foods like muffins and cereal. When you brush before eating, you remove these bacteria before they get a chance to feast on these carbs, minimizing the likelihood that they’ll produce smile-damaging acids. Brushing your teeth first thing in the morning also promotes saliva production, which helps strengthen your enamel and neutralize acids.

Brushing After Breakfast

Many people prefer to brush their teeth right before leaving the house, so they head out with a fresh, clean smile. This also allows the fluoride from your toothpaste to linger on your teeth and work more effectively throughout the day. Brushing after eating also means that you are able to remove any food particles that remain in your mouth from breakfast.

If you choose to brush after breakfast, it’s best to wait at least thirty minutes after you’ve finished eating to limit damage to your teeth. Certain breakfast foods and beverages, like citrus fruits or coffee, contain high levels of acid that weakens your tooth enamel, and if you brush too soon after eating these foods, you can do more harm than good.

Establish Healthy Oral Habits with the Help of Your McKinney Dentist

Bottom line: there isn’t a clear consensus about whether brushing before or after eating breakfast is better. It turns out that the best time to brush your teeth is when you’ll be able to do it properly and consistently. Brushing and flossing twice a day is just one component of comprehensive oral hygiene. If you’re due for a routine cleaning and exam, call today to schedule your next appointment at Serene Dentistry!

Contact Us

Categorised in: Dental Tips, Oral Health, Oral Hygiene