It’s a hot topic — should you brush your teeth before or after you eat breakfast?
Some people are adamant pre-breakfast devotees, saying it helps establish a consistent routine and avoid having morning breath while eating.
I, for one, am in this camp. When I wake up, I brush my teeth, wash my face, and then eat breakfast. It’s a non-negotiable for me and just feels right.
My partner, on the other hand, takes a much more nonchalant approach. He’ll get to it when he gets to it, basically.
So, I was curious to know what the dentistry industry had to say about this.
Are there pros and cons to each approach? Or is choosing one option over the other going to have a profound impact on your oral hygiene?
To help you figure it out (and mainly to settle my household debate), I chatted with the experts at Dental Boutique.
The case for brushing before breakfast
For many people, breakfast includes foods that are acidic in nature, like jam, orange juice, coffee, and tea, Dr. Sam, Principal Dentist at Dental Boutique tells Kidspot exclusively.
“If people can help it, they should brush before breakfast,” he explains, “because the acids from these things make your teeth temporarily weaker and softer across the surface.”
“If you brush your teeth straight away after breakfast, you are in danger of scrubbing away your tooth enamel as the enamel is softer.”
So, you can do one of two things, says Dr. Sam.
“1. Brush before breakfast to remove morning breath or 2. Wait 30 minutes after breakfast to brush your teeth, which gives your saliva 30 minutes to rehydrate and remineralize everything. Saliva balances out the acids so that your mouth isn’t acidic anymore.”
In summary, you should preferably brush before, but if you want to do it after, make sure you wait 30 minutes.
Factor in your morning routine and diet
Dr. Chan and Dr. Sim, co-founders and principal dentists at Dental Boutique, also support Dr. Sam, saying it all depends on your morning routine and diet.
“If you consume acidic foods for breakfast, brushing right after can cause damage to your tooth structure. In that case, it would be better to wait up to 30 minutes before brushing your teeth after breakfast,” says Dr. Chan.
Dr. Sim also advises brushing before breakfast but for a different reason.
“As a dentist, I would worry that patients may not remember to brush their teeth as a top priority. Therefore, my suggestion is to brush before breakfast to ensure you have a regular routine of waking up and remembering to brush your teeth immediately,” he shares.
“This also helps to remove any residual plaque build-up or bad breath before breakfast.”
After breakfast, he says you could do a quick brush or mouth rinse to freshen your breath before starting your day. But remember, wait 30 minutes!
