'I'm a dentist – I will never brush my teeth at these three times'

Brushing your teeth is not always the most exciting chore, but it's a key part of our daily hygiene routine.

While flossing or using mouthwash can amp up our oral care, a dentist has issued a warning that sometimes brushing your pearly whites could be ill-advised.

London-based dentist Dr Shaadi Manouchehri, who's become a TikTok sensation with her dental healthcare tips, boasts over 300,000 followers. And she certainly raised eyebrows in a recent video when she said "This is the only time you will catch me telling you not to brush your teeth." The expert pinpointed three specific scenarios wherein she recommends people should resist reaching for their toothbrushes and toothpaste.

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After drinking coffee

For many, the first act of the morning is to down a cup of coffee before brushing, to ward off coffee breath. However, according to Dr Manouchehri, this is not the way forward.

Describing coffee as notably acidic, even more so when adding milk and sugar, Dr Manouchehri said: "If you go and brush your teeth straight away you're rubbing acid onto the tooth and wearing the tooth away." She advises waiting for 20 to 30 minutes before giving your teeth a scrub, or alternatively using mouthwash and swishing some water around your mouth.

After breakfast

In a similar vein, the dentist also cautions against scrubbing your teeth immediately after breakfast.

She clarified: "You should brush them beforehand because if you brush straight away you're going to be damaging your enamel, and actually when you first wake up in a morning you have quite a lot of bacteria in the mouth and that needs to be brushed before breakfast."

After throwing up

The dentist insists you should not brush your teeth just after you have vomited. She explained: "This is probably all you want to do after you have vomited but actually, the contents of the stomach are extremely acidic and your teeth are made up of minerals. So, when the contents of the stomach have come into the mouth, then the mouth is very acidic and if you brush straight away you rub the acid into the tooth even more."

She suggests waiting between half an hour to 60 minutes before brushing your teeth after you have thrown up. To get rid of the bad sick taste, she suggests rinsing your mouth out with some mouthwash before drinking some water. This can help neutralise the acid in your mouth.

Do you have a story? Get in touch at Lucy.Marshall@reachplc.com.

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