Do you find that your coffee tastes funny after brushing your teeth?
Not sure what order you are supposed to brush and floss in your morning routine?
Experts state you should be brushing your teeth for a minimum of two minutes every day, twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste.
The NHS state: “Plaque is a film of bacteria that coats your teeth if you don't brush them properly. It contributes to gum disease and tooth decay.
“Tooth brushing stops plaque building up. Try to make sure you clean every surface of all your teeth.”
But what order should it happen in? Here’s what the experts suggest:
Should you brush before or after?
Experts state that brushing your teeth before you eat breakfast may protect your tooth enamel better than if you wait until after you’ve had your orange juice.
Brushing the moment you get up is supposed to be better for your overall oral health, compared to brushing after eating.
And there is a scientific reason for this.
While sleeping, the plaque-causing bacteria in your mouth multiply every night. That’s part of why you may wake up with what has been labelled as ‘morning breath’.
When you brush your teeth upon waking, you are washing that bacteria out with a fluoride rtoothpaste which gets rids of plaque and bacteria.
As well as washing away the mess from the night before, it also coats your tooth enamel - making it healthier and stronger to take on the breakfast you are about to consume.
The fluoride toothpaste provides a protective barrier against acid in your food.
Not only this protective measure, but when you brush first thing in the morning, you also allow your saliva production to start, and it is the saliva in your mouth that helps to break down food and kills the harmful bacteria in your mouth.
How should you be brushing your teeth?
How to brush your teeth
It may sound simple, but the NHS offers proper guidance on how to properly and effectively brush your teeth to make sure you are looking after your oral health adequately.
The NHS says it doesn’t actually matter whether you use an electric or manual brush, as they are “both equally good, as long as you clean all the surfaces of all your teeth and you use fluoride toothpaste.”
They say: “Make sure you clean all the surfaces of all your teeth, which should take about 2 minutes.
“Remember to brush the inside surfaces, outside surfaces and the chewing surfaces of your teeth.”
And they say another tip into never rinse out your mouth with water after a brush.
Guidance states: “After brushing, spit out any excess toothpaste.
“Don't rinse your mouth immediately after brushing, as it'll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste.
“Rinsing dilutes it and reduces its preventative effects.”
