Growing up, you may have heard that you should brush your teeth after every meal. And, that might not be bad advice. But the whole truth is that you should brush your teeth about thirty minutes after a meal. The foods and drinks you consume every day contain acids, and if your brush your teeth as soon as you are done eating, you may only be spreading the acid around your mouth and could risk damaging your tooth enamel.
So, it could be a good idea to rinse your mouth after eating or have a piece of sugarless gum. Chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva, which may need about thirty minutes to neutralize and wash away the acids in your mouth.
At a minimum, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. A good rule to remember is to spend about one minute on your upper teeth and a minute on your lower teeth. Brush the insides, and then the outsides, and don’t forget to clean the chewing and biting surfaces of your teeth. Can you brush too much? Actually, it may not be an issue of brushing too long, but too hard. Brushing too aggressively can damage your tooth enamel or your gums.
If you need some pointers on brushing, our dentist, Dr. Christopher Rouse, will be happy to give you the benefit of his experience and knowledge. If you live in the Greenville, South Carolina, area, you can make an appointment at Flatrock Family Dentistry by calling (864) 756-5576.