When is the best time to brush your teeth?

Is there any evidence to help in making a decision as to whether to use toothbrush before or after breakfast? Experts, in this report by SADE OGUNTOLA, recommend that  brushing after breakfast seems more beneficial.

Most people have a preference as to when they take care of their teeth in the morning—either before or after breakfast. Many people can’t stand the bad taste in their mouth in the morning and brush immediately after waking and before eating.

Some cannot stand the extra minty taste of their toothpaste and the fact that it prevents them from enjoying their meal and so hold on brushing until after breakfast is consumed.

The constant advice from dentists has long been to brush the teeth twice a day. However, there has been inconsistency in the best time to brush one’s teeth.  For some people, tooth brushing is part of the morning and evening routine, and some people even brush their teeth after every meal.

But when is the best time to brush—before or after breakfast? Although many people have different ideas of the best time to brush, experts from studies say brushing after having breakfast and last thing before going to bed is the best.

Why is brushing after breakfast better? President, Nigerian Dental Association, Dr Olabode Ijarogbe said brushing after having breakfast and last thing before going to bed is the best since these had been proven to be more protective from tooth problems such as tooth decay.

According to him, “when you brush the teeth, what you are trying to achieve is to remove plaque, which is a film of bacteria that coats the teeth. It contributes to gum disease and tooth decay.

“Before, culturally it is believed that one should brush in the morning before breakfast. That is the only time people brush. But the current teaching is to brush twice daily, after breakfast and last thing before going to bed.

“Assuming you brush before your morning meal, plaque, including food debris, is left on the teeth. Of course, more food debris would be added from other meals in the day. This gives the bacteria in the mouth more debris and time to act upon and cause damage before the next morning’s brushing.”

However, brushing after breakfast will help reduce the amount of food debris, including plaque to the barest minimum.

Nonetheless, he added that nothing stops people that complain that they cannot eat breakfast before brushing their teeth to do so before and after their meal.

For those that may have difficult brushing after their breakfast, Dr Ijarogbe recommended the use of mouth wash to rinse  the mouth to keep the bacteria level low.

“It is not that there is anything wrong brushing your teeth before you eat breakfast, anyway. But the normal thing we preach is brush after every meal, but we know that this might be difficult to practise, especially for workers. But at least, people can brush before they go to work and bed at night,” he declared.

The advice to brush the teeth last thing before going to bed, he assured also ensures a good mouth odour after waking up.

Dr Ijarogbe said “when brushing is again done after dinner, whatever might have accumulated after the morning meal is taken away, thus leaving the mouth clean and with very little debris left for the bacteria to feed on and to cause any damage in the mouth.”

Nonetheless, he described timely and adequate brushing as beneficial against some oral diseases, adding that this was far cheaper than treating oral diseases when they arise.

Dr Ogo Eze, who runs a dental practice in London however warns that too much brushing, with bad technique, can cause other problems. “People think if they brush hard and thoroughly they are doing a good job, but you can wear away your gums and tooth surface. People think receding gums are a sign of gum disease, but it’s often a sign of too much scrubbing.”

The right way to brush is known as the modified Bass technique. According to Dr Eze, “the idea is to brush in circles and up and down. But when it comes to the gum line, you should tilt the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, and apply gentle pressure so it blanches just under the gums, then vibrate there and flick away. Your brush shouldn’t travel across the gums.”

It is also important to always brush the tongue because bacteria and plaque also stick to it.

In choosing when to brush the teeth, expert say the type of diet is also  key. Brushing of teeth immediately after eaten an acidic food or drink like orange, grapefruit and lemon needs to be avoided. These acids weaken tooth enamel, and brushing too soon can remove enamel.

In addition to brushing the teeth, the American Dental Association recommends flossing daily; drinking plenty of water; eating a healthy diet and limiting in between-meal snacks as well as change of toothbrushes every three to four months or sooner if the bristles are irregular or frayed.

In addition, the association said prolonged exposure to phosphoric acid, which can be found in soft drinks like soda and diet soda, can erode hard tissues from the tooth surface. Acid erosion causes permanent damage to the teeth.