You Should Never Brush Your Teeth Straight After Breakfast, Expert Warns

A dentist has warned that people should avoid brushing their teeth after breakfast, giving two very important reasons to do so before eating instead.

Dentist Anna Peterson, who goes by the name @annapetersondental on TikTok, shared a video explaining this little known fact.

She said: "Did you know you shouldn't brush your teeth after breakfast, always before?"

She went on to explain that this is firstly because 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," she told viewers. "And this wears away the enamel."

The video also showed Anna explaining that another key reason to switch up your morning brushing routine is that "brushing before breakfast protects your teeth from anything you're going to eat".

"I've always told people this but seemed like I was the only one," one person said in the video's comments.

While another penned: "You learn something new every day".

A third wrote: "As a dental nurse it's amazing how many people have never realised that this is the better way of doing it".

"I've been doing life wrong this whole time???!," said another.

If you'd still rather brush your teeth after brekkie, there is a solution.

You just have to wait enough time for the acid to shift.

"Good advice...," someone said. "I brush after but wait 20 minutes for the acid to neutralise."

"Yes, waiting 30 minutes and then brushing would be fine to do," the dentist replied.

Half an hour is the absolute minimum, though. In fact, there is some disagreement among dentists as to whether this is sufficient. The American Dental Association recommends you wait at least 60 minutes after eating before brushing your teeth.

And so does the expert that Tyla contacted...

Confirming the advice of the dental association, and the warnings of TikTok dentist, Anna, regarding possible acid damage, Melike Aytekin, a dentist at Vera Clinic told Tyla: “I’d always advise brushing teeth before you eat breakfast. First off, bacteria builds up in your mouth overnight, leading to bad breath and other nasties; it’s best to get rid of it as soon as you wake up.

"Furthermore, when you eat or drink something, especially something acidic like a morning smoothie or jam on toast, your enamel is temporarily weakened. If you brush your teeth straight after eating it can cause permanent damage and enamel loss!

"It’s best to wait at least an hour before brushing your teeth after a meal.”

This is a game-changer.

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock

Topics: Life, Health, Food and Drink

Joanna Freedman

Joanna has worked at Tyla for the last two years, and has a particular interest in highlighting women's issues and telling inspiring first person stories. She's also their resident foodie, and loves covering exciting new beauty launches. Contact her at [email protected].

@joannafreedman