While brushing your hair every morning isn’t necessary, brushing your teeth is important to your health and the well-being of your office neighbor. But should the big cleanse be done before or after the coffee and toast combo?
For your own good and the good of the community, it is strongly recommended, if not mandatory, to brush your teeth at least twice a day. And in this matter, some people do the first cleaning of the day even before breakfast, while others start after eating.
The first team makes the gesture of getting out of bed to clean whatever is lurking in our mouths when we wake up. And for good reason, there are thousands of bacteria out there. “At night, we produce less saliva, so our mouths become drier, which creates an environment conducive to the growth of bacteria,” says dentist Natalie Delfin.
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The most ideal period
Only in reality, if the intention is good, the gesture will be useless, according to Elodie Terer, a researcher in microbiology and dentistry. “It only removes a small fraction of the bacterial load, and you have to start over automatically if you eat,” he says. Indeed, bacteria can become pathogenic when in contact with food. especially in contact with the carbohydrates contained in our bread, our pressed fruit juices and our refined grains. “Bacteria turn sugars into acids, and the acidic environment damages the enamel, the protective barrier of the teeth. If the enamel weakens, toxins penetrate more easily inside the tooth, and this contributes to the formation of cavities,” explains Dr. Elodie Terer.
Bacteria turn sugars into acids, and an acidic environment damages enamel, our protective barrier to teeth.
Elodie Terer, microbiologist and dental surgeon
Also, brushing our teeth before breakfast will send the wrong message to our digestive system. “Mechanical brushing stimulates saliva production and starts the digestive process, which will disrupt our taste receptors and significantly change our taste,” says Dr. Nathalie Delfin, who is also president of the Syndicat des Femmes Chirurgiens-Dentistes. Therefore, it is not very wise to enjoy breakfast afterwards.
Good gesture reminder
In general, good oral hygiene requires good reflexes when brushing. After breakfast, Natalie Delphine recommends waiting a bit before taking out your toothbrush. “During chewing, our saliva creates an acid attack to break down food and digest it better. However, if you come to brush your teeth when this very aggressive process is going on, you risk weakening the enamel even further, causing oral cavity injuries,” he informs. Therefore, it is better to wait 10 minutes before brushing your teeth, the dentist advises.
For optimal brushing, experts recommend using a soft brush, mechanical or electric, and fluoride toothpaste to remineralize the enamel. The entire mouth (including the gums) is then cleaned, and the procedure is completed by using dental floss or an interdental brush to remove food debris and plaque. It is preferable to refresh after each meal or even after each snack.
Just for convenience, you can also complete a short and gentle cleaning of the tongue with a tongue scraper. On the other hand, it is necessary to avoid washing the oral cavity, remind the specialists of the health sector. They are prescribed only by a dentist in case of pathologies such as gingivitis or periodontal disease.
Source: Le Figaro
