Brushing our teeth might be a mundane chore, but it’s essential for maintaining oral hygiene.
Many people go the extra mile with mouthwash, flossing, or water picks for that deep clean feeling. However, a dentist has issued a stark warning about times when brushing could actually be harmful.
Dr Shaadi Manouchehri, a dental sensation on TikTok, shares top-notch advice for optimal dental health with her 300,000 followers, amassing over nine million likes across her informative videos.
In a recent revelation that shocked many, she declared: “This is the only time you will catch me telling you not to brush your teeth.”
The dentist outlined three specific scenarios where she would advise against reaching for your toothbrush and paste.
After being sick
Dr Manouchehri strongly advises against brushing immediately after vomiting. She clarifies: “This is probably all you want to do after you have vomited but actually, the contents of the stomach are extremely acidic and your teeth are made up of minerals. So, when the contents of the stomach have come into the mouth, then the mouth is very acidic and if you brush straight away you rub the acid into the tooth even more.”
Instead of brushing right away, Dr Manouchehri recommends waiting from 30 minutes up to an hour before cleaning your teeth post-vomiting. To eliminate the unpleasant taste of sickness, she suggests rinsing with mouthwash followed by water to help neutralise the mouth’s acidity.
After drinking coffee
The dental expert pointed to the acidic nature of coffee, especially when milk and sugar are mixed in, stating: “If you go and brush your teeth straight away you’re rubbing acid onto the tooth and wearing the tooth away.”
Instead, she advises waiting 20 to 30 minutes before brushing, or alternatively using mouthwash and drinking water.
After eating breakfast
Dr Manouchehri offers similar advice regarding breakfast, suggesting that you should not brush your teeth right after eating.
She elaborated: “You should brush them beforehand because if you brush straight away you’re going to be damaging your enamel, and actually when you first wake up in a morning you have quite a lot of bacteria in the mouth and that needs to be brushed before breakfast.”
