Why do dentists say that it is not recommended to brush your teeth immediately after eating acidic food! ?

1. Can you brush your teeth immediately after eating acidic food?

In fact, it is not recommended. After eating acidic foods (such as strawberries, lemons, etc.), the pH value in the mouth will drop rapidly, and teeth are very sensitive to acid. When eating foods with a pH value below 5.8, it will cause demineralization on the surface of the teeth. After demineralization, if you brush your teeth immediately before the saliva remineralizes the teeth, it will cause excessive wear on the surface of the teeth. A large number of experiments have shown that if you brush your teeth immediately after eating acidic foods, the enamel will be damaged and a large number of pits will appear on the surface; if we do not brush our teeth for a while and wait for a while, we will find that the longer we wait, the fewer pits on the enamel surface and the smoother it will be.

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This proves that food or drinks containing acidic substances will soften the enamel on the surface of teeth, causing calcium and phosphorus ions to precipitate, making the teeth soft, and brushing teeth immediately will cause a certain degree of wear on the teeth. Therefore, we recommend that you rinse your mouth with water after eating acidic foods and wait half an hour before brushing your teeth.

2. Which foods should you brush your teeth immediately after eating?

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Periodontal mucosal doctors say that it is recommended to brush teeth immediately after eating some foods. There are two main factors to consider. One is that eating foods may cause tooth discoloration and affect the appearance; the other is that food residues may erode tooth enamel if they stay in the mouth for a long time. For example, the following types of food:

1. Balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is dark in color and contains a variety of acidic substances, which can easily cause tooth discoloration.

2. Soy sauce. The pigments in soy sauce can also "stain" your teeth.

3. Ice cream. Delicious and colorful ice cream contains a variety of pigments, which can stain your teeth. In addition, low temperatures and the sugar in ice cream can cause teeth to discolor more easily.

4. Tomato sauce: Tomatoes are very acidic vegetables, and tomato sauce is the same, which may also erode tooth enamel.

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5. Black tea. Drinking tea has many health benefits, but the pigments in dark teas such as black tea can stain teeth and affect their appearance. The more you drink this kind of tea, the greater the chance of tooth discoloration. Therefore, you must rinse your mouth in time after drinking black tea.

6. Berries. Eating brightly colored berries such as blueberries, blackberries, and cherries can cause a thin layer of "stains" to form on tooth enamel. It is best to brush your teeth and floss after eating berries, because the acid in berries can also damage tooth enamel and cause teeth to deteriorate.

7. Red wine: The acid in red wine can cause tooth staining and wear away tooth enamel.

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8. Hard candy. Eating hard candy can cause discoloration of the mouth and tongue, and cause permanent staining of the teeth. It is best to eat less colorful candy. 9. Coffee. Dark coffee is one of the culprits that cause tooth discoloration.

3. How to reduce tooth erosion through daily life and diet?

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Combining acidic foods with alkaline foods can neutralize the acid in food. Some common alkaline foods include nuts, cheese, oats, mangoes, melons, bananas, apples, eggs, vegetables, brown rice and whole-grain foods. Fish and lean meats are also low in acid. These foods may help protect tooth enamel and provide nutritional health, killing two birds with one stone. They can neutralize acid and also provide calcium and phosphorus, minerals that are essential for teeth.

Finally, I would like to remind you that brushing your teeth correctly is the first step in oral health care and is also a very important oral health care method. The purpose of brushing your teeth is not only to clean up food residues, but also to remove plaque. Plaque can only be removed by moderate mechanical friction, so we need to brush our teeth correctly, and at the same time, we can use dental floss and interdental brushes. Any mouthwash or water flosser cannot replace brushing your teeth.

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To maintain long-term oral health and beauty, it is important to have your teeth cleaned every six months. This not only prevents tooth sensitivity or tooth decay, but also removes the pigments that have already been stained. If necessary, our periodontists will provide healthy dietary advice to prevent further development of tooth erosion or tooth surface pigmentation.

The picture is a comparison of before and after teeth cleaning. The copyright belongs to the Department of Periodontology and Mucosa of Dongguan Jianli Dental Hospital.