We all have our own morning routine after we wake up. Most of us will rush to the toilet as soon as we get out of bed, or maybe have a sip of water if we wake up with a dry mouth.
What we should do next, however, has long been debated by experts and laymen alike. Some argue we should brush our teeth and then eat breakfast, while others say breakfast should come first and then brushing.
Those who favour the latter tend to question the point of brushing their teeth if they’re only going to dirty them with food immediately afterwards, but one particular dental expert argues otherwise.
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Taking toTikTok, dental therapist Anna Peterson said that you should always brush your teeth before you eat breakfast, never after.
She explained: “There’s two reasons for this. When you eat breakfast, your mouth becomes acidic, so what you’re doing when you brush your teeth after breakfast is brushing the acid into the tooth, and this wears away the enamel.
“And, brushing before breakfast protects your teeth from anything you’re going to eat.”
Enamel is the thin, translucent, outer covering of the tooth which covers the part of the tooth that's visible outside of the gums.
Experts at Healthline concur with Peterson. They said: “While you sleep, plaque-causing bacteria in your mouth multiply. That’s part of why you may wake up with a ‘mossy’ taste and ‘morning breath’.
“Washing those bacteria right out with a fluoride toothpaste rids your teeth of plaque and bacteria. It also coats your enamel with a protective barrier against acid in your food.”
The experts added that brushing your teeth first thing in the morning jump-starts saliva production, which helps you break down food and naturally kills harmful bacteria in your mouth.
Healthline however notes that although brushing your teeth immediately after breakfast may risk covering your teeth with remnants of acidic food, you can still brush your teeth 30 minutes to one hour after breakfast.
They advise people who want to brush their teeth after breakfast to drink water or chew sugar-free gum after eating to clean their teeth before they brush.
In conclusion, the health experts said: “Brushing in the morning, whenever you’re able to do it, is still better than skipping brushing your teeth at all.”
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