Dentist Shares the 3 Times You Actually Shouldn’t Brush Your Teeth

Common knowledge says that we should brush our teeth all day, every day. Obviously, that’s not realistic, so most of us settle for two or three times a day, but the idea is that brushing your teeth is always a good thing. As it turns out, there are actually three scenarios in which brushing your teeth would be bad for you. See what this dentist has to say about not brushing your teeth.

After Being Sick

As much as one might feel an urge to freshen their breath after being sick, you may want to reach for a mint rather than the toothpaste. According to Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri, “The contents of the stomach are extremely acidic and the mouth is in a very acidic state so, if you brush straight after you are basically wearing away your enamel.”

After Breakfast

Most people brush their teeth before breakfast, not after. If you’re in the camp of folks who opt to brush their teeth after every meal, maybe skip that post-breakfast teeth brushing. Dr. Manouchehri explains, “This is when you have just eaten, your mouth is in a very acidic state and if you brush your teeth you are rubbing that acid on the tooth, which is a mineral, and it can wear it down.”

After Eating Sweets

If you’ve got a sugary taste in your mouth that you want to change, reach for some gum or drink something tangy, rather than brushing your teeth.

Dr. Manouchehri explains that it’s best not to brush your teeth after eating sweets by saying that you should wait at least an hour. “This is because when you have just eaten sweets the mouth has digested it into an acid is going to get rubbed on the teeth and destroy the enamel.”