Chew on This:
There are several new studies that indicate it is better to brush your teeth before you eat than immediately after you eat! That is completely contrary to what we have all bee
n taught for years.
I am gathering more information, and looking for the definitive article to re-post for you. But what is now being recommended is that you brush before meals, or wait at least one hour after you eat to brush again. This has to do with pH levels in your mouth which change after you eat. By allowing time for the pH levels to neutralize, and return to normal, you are keeping one of the components of the progression of tooth decay in check.
We have always recommended that you brush before you go to bed. That still holds. It is unlikely that you would eat dinner, and then immediately go to bed, so the hour will have elapsed. And since all of the nutritional experts tell us we shouldn’t eat after 7:00 anyway, then the time-frames should work out. And of course we ALL listen to the experts, and NEVER snack late at night. Right? right? right….yeah, right.
So for the time being, start brushing when you get up BEFORE you eat breakfast, and make sure you brush before you go to bed. Rinsing with water after lunch or snacks is good, but if you brush, do so at least an hour after the food intake.
This weeks Ha-Ha, for those interested. (Posted on the Miller Comfort Dental facebook page weekly):
A man went to his dentist because he had a strange feeling in his mouth. The dentist examines him and says, “That new upper plate I put in for you six months ago is eroding. What have you been eating?”
The man replies, “All I can think of is that about four months ago my wife made some asparagus and put some stuff on it that was delicious…Hollandaise sauce. I loved it so much I now put it on everything – meat, toast, fish, vegtables, everything.”
“Well,” says the dentist, “That’s probably the problem. Hollandaise sauce is made with lots of lemon juice, which is highly corrosive. It has eaten away your upper plate. I’ll make you a new plate, and this time use chrome.”
“Why chrome?” asks the patient.
To which the dentist replied, “It’s simple. Everyone knows that there’s no plate like chrome for the Hollandaise!”
I know, it’s a real groaner, but I bet you laughed a little…
