Pace Brushing After Acidic Foods & Beverages

Eating an orange or enjoying refreshing lemonade sounds harmless, right? Just remember to wait at least an hour before you brush your teeth.

As a Periodontal Specialist, I see lots of oral issues and work closely with other Dentists to protect their patients’ smiles and restore oral wellness. With today’s consumption of so many acidic sport drinks and sodas, in addition to citrus fruits and vegetables, we are seeing an increase in eroded tooth enamel. Most gritty toothpastes are typically safe to use on teeth, but brushing teeth too soon after consuming acidic items can damage protective tooth enamel.

What to do? Wait an hour to allow the saliva in your mouth to neutralize the acid, which helps restore the enamel. Rather than brush immediately, rinse your mouth with water or chew sugarless gum. And share your smile with those healthy teeth!