Dentist reveals the exact time of day you should brush your teeth

A woman using an electric toothbrush
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Brushing your teeth can be a mundane chore that we don’t think much about, but it’s also essential to maintain your oral health. Many people go the extra mile with mouthwash, flossing, or water picks for that deep clean feeling.

However, the time of day you brush your teeth can also have a huge impact on your teeth and overall oral health care. Here, expert dentist Doctor Zaeem, from Ordo, explains the exact time you should be brushing your teeth for the best results.

They also talk about how long you should leave brushing your teeth after eating or drinking, and also before bed. All of this can have a significant impact on your dental health.

Morning Prime time

Brushing your teeth at 7:15 am is the perfect time to give your teeth a clean after waking up in the morning. While you sleep, plaque-causing bacteria in your mouth multiply and that’s why you may wake up with a fluffy taste in the mouth and ‘morning breath’.

This is why it’s not always wise to indulge in a lie in, as the longer you sleep in, the more time the bacteria has to multiply. Washing bacteria away early in the morning with fluoride toothpaste rids the teeth of plaque and bacteria.

Protect your pearly whites

Brushing your teeth first thing in the morning also coats your tooth enamel with a protective barrier against acid in your food, setting you up for a day of healthy teeth. Another benefit of brushing first thing in the morning, before breakfast, is that you also jump-start your saliva production. Your saliva helps your food break down and naturally kills harmful bacteria in your mouth helping to create a healthy smile for the day ahead.

Evening Routine

Brushing your teeth in the evening should be the last thing you do before going to sleep. Brushing your teeth literally minutes before you get into bed is the best way to protect the teeth before a night’s sleep. Except for water, it’s really important that you don’t eat or drink anything between your evening brush and sleep, so it makes sense to leave this until right before getting into bed.

Be cautious of coffee

There are a few times of day that you should definitely avoid when you’re brushing your teeth. Firstly, directly after having a coffee. This is because brushing the teeth straight away after coffee could lead to rubbing acid onto the tooth and risk wearing the tooth away.

Instead you should ideally wait 20-30 minutes before brushing, if you are looking to get rid of any coffee breath, opt for water or mouthwash instead.

Always after breakfast

While it might be controversial for some, you should also avoid brushing your teeth after breakfast. Brushing immediately after eating breakfast may actually cover the teeth with remnants of acidic food, which weakens the enamel.

Breakfast staples are some of the worst foods for the tooth enamel, including things like orange juice and cereals. Waiting 30 minutes to an hour after eating allows the tooth enamel to remineralize and build itself back up. Again, having a small rinse with water or mouthwash is a much better solution if you need a refresh before leaving the house.