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Brushing your teeth after throwing up does more damage, warns dentist
We were always taught to brush our teeth immediately after eating anything “unhealthy” for our oral health, especially chocolates and sugary drinks.
But a dentist warns against the popular practice, as it’s one of the times you should never brush your teeth aside from two more occasions that aren’t ideal for cleaning your mouth.
Dentist say you should never brush after vomiting
Most of us tend to brush our teeth after an episode of vomiting; it’s an absolute must on some occasions. The seemingly hygienic practice is not a dentist’s favorite though.
Certified dentist Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri discusses three times that aren’t ideal for brushing your teeth; one is after barfing.
“Because the contents of the stomach are extremely acidic, the state of the mouth is very acidic. So, if you brush straight after, you’re basically wearing away your enamel,” she explains.
As your teeth are exposed to highly erosive acids after throwing up, it’s recommended to rinse your mouth with water or other liquids to neutralize acid in the oral cavity and wait to allow demineralization before careful tooth brushing, as a study on the National Library of Medicine suggests.
Other two times you should avoid doing it
The other two times you should avoid brushing is after breakfast, as the mouth is in a very acidic state from the food, and brushing it around your mouth weakens the enable.
It is also advised to do the same before eating breakfast, first thing in the morning, as the bacteria build-up from the previous night worsens when you eat without brushing.
Brushing just after you’ve eaten sweets similarly damages your teeth due to the acidic nature of the digested food. Dr. Shaadi says you should wait at least 60 minutes.
As well as brushing at the right time, you should also use the right amount of toothpaste recommended by dentists, which is surprising. And, you should never rinse your mouth after as it reduces the properties of the toothpaste to protect your teeth.
Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri is a dental surgeon and facial aesthetics practitioner. She holds DS Honors from Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry.
