When should you brush your teeth after eating? Brushing straight away, and before or after breakfast

When acid levels in the mouth rise, the surface of the enamel softens for a while. Saliva gradually neutralises the acid and puts minerals back into the enamel. Brushing with a hard brush and an abrasive toothpaste straight after acid can remove a tiny amount of the softened surface. Repeated every day, this can contribute to dental erosion; we cover it in detail in dental erosion and enamel wear.

There’s no exact figure for the waiting time; most sources suggest between 30 minutes and an hour. Rinsing with water, drinking water or chewing sugar-free gum during this time helps saliva do its job faster.

There’s a case for both. Brushing before breakfast clears the plaque built up overnight and leaves a fluoride layer on the teeth; if you have acidic things like orange juice or tomatoes at breakfast, this order suits you better. If you prefer to brush after breakfast and your breakfast is acidic, waiting about half an hour is enough.

What matters most is brushing at least twice a day, for two minutes each time, with a fluoride toothpaste. Choose whichever order is easier to turn into a habit.

Saliva flow drops during sleep, and with it saliva’s protective effect, so teeth are more vulnerable to decay at night. Make the last brush of the day just before bed and have nothing but water afterwards.

• After brushing, spit out the toothpaste but don’t rinse with lots of water; the fluoride left on your teeth keeps protecting them. See is fluoride harmful.
• Clean between your teeth with floss or an interdental brush before the bedtime brush. See how to floss.
• Children given milk or juice in a bottle at night have a higher risk of decay; see baby bottle tooth decay.

Stomach acid affects enamel more strongly than acids in food. After vomiting or reflux, rinse your mouth with water instead of brushing straight away; wait a while, then brush with a soft brush. If you have reflux often, tell both your doctor and your dentist. For sickness during pregnancy, see dental treatment during pregnancy.

• Use a soft or medium brush; hard brushes and pressing too hard can lead to gum recession.
• Hold the brush at about 45 degrees to the gum and use small movements. Details: how to brush your teeth properly.
• Replace your brush or electric brush head about every three months. See when to replace your toothbrush.
• After meals when you can’t brush, rinsing with water or chewing sugar-free gum helps. See is sugar-free gum good for your teeth.

If you wear clear aligners, brush your teeth after eating before putting them back in; otherwise food stays trapped between the aligner and your teeth for hours. If you’ve had something acidic, rinse with water first. With fixed braces, the area around the brackets needs cleaning after every meal. See living with braces and how to clean night guards and clear aligners.

At check-ups we look together at your brushing technique, the brush you use and your eating habits, and if there are signs of enamel wear or gum recession we explain the cause.

Dent32 is at Barış Mah., Ginza Lavinya, E-5 Yanyolu No:30 D:179, 34520 Beylikdüzü, Istanbul and is open seven days a week. To book, call or WhatsApp +90 555 011 33 68, or use our contact page. At the examination we share the findings, the options and the approximate cost in writing; you are under no obligation to start treatment afterwards.