Most people think that as soon as you swallow that last bite of food, you need to run to your nearest washroom and brush your teeth. In most instances, that is totally true, but not in every case.

If you happen to have just consumed foods that are really high in acid, then you need to rinse with water first. To brush first could cause your teeth more harm than good because you did not take the time to neutralize your acid levels first.

When You Eat Acidic Foods, You Need to Go Neutral Before Brushing

Brushing is not getting your teeth back to a neutral pH level. It is simply brushing away the food particles that are there. This leaves your teeth open to the damage that acids can cause for a longer period of time because they then have no protection from the film on your teeth or the excess saliva in your mouth from having just gotten done eating.

If you want to make sure that you are doing things right, in terms of brushing timing, then you should wait around 60 minutes before brushing away the food particles.

You want to drink water to help flush the mouth out of excess food, and to help lower the levels of acids in your mouth. If you frequently eat foods like tomatoes, wine, and grapefruits, then your teeth are being exposed to high levels of acids and they could be experiencing some enamel erosion.

The longer you are able to wait after eating those types of foods, the better, so as not to leave the acids right on the surfaces of your teeth to do more harm.

If your teeth are getting sensitive, it may be due to this type of erosion. Contact our office and have them take a look to make sure and to help treat your sensitivity.