Beverages to Avoid After You Brush Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth is the best way to make sure keep them for a long time. However, brushing is a little more complicated than we're often taught. Like most people, you probably wonder about drinking water or other beverages after brushing your teeth. You may also wonder if and when it's okay to eat after brushing your teeth, especially at night. Don't worry, getting to the bottom of these brushing questions is simpler than it appears.

Soda

Yes, soda is delicious. However, when it comes to healthy teeth, there’s never a good time to drink soda. The acids in soda, and diet drinks, soften your tooth enamel. Unfortunately, there’s no way to get your enamel back, after it’s gone. Obviously, drinking soda puts your teeth at risk, but the risk is even greater after you’ve brushed your teeth. Brushing cleans plaque off your teeth, but it can also temporarily soften your enamel. Drinking soda, after brushing your teeth just compounds this effect.

Orange juice

For many people, orange juice is the best morning pick-me-up. This highly acidic juice is full of great vitamins, but it’s not great for your teeth. You should brush your teeth for thirty minutes before—or after—you drink orange juice. Drinking orange juice after brushing teeth can lead to more enamel loss than drinking juice alone. The highly acidic nature of the juice softens your teeth. Then, a toothbrush comes in and worsens the damage. You can lessen this effect several ways. First of all, always dilute your juice. Orange juice thinned with water still tastes great and provides plenty of vitamins. On the other hand, you can avoid drinking this power packed juice right before or right after brushing.

Coffee or tea

Coffee and tea can both be hard on your teeth. As mentioned earlier, brushing your teeth softens the enamel, making it more porous. This allows stains to get deep into your tooth. Yikes! While coffee and tea aren’t as bad for your teeth as orange juice or soda, they’re also not kind. If you want to keep your smile pearly white, avoid drinking coffee or tea for at least thirty minutes after you’ve brushed your teeth.

All foods introduce plaque

A little bedtime snack may seem like the perfect ending to your day. However, you’re making a big mistake if you eat after brushing your teeth at night. It doesn’t matter if you drink milk or orange juice, or eat a meal, all foods introduce plaque. When you eat, the germs in your mouth go into overdrive. These germs are the very culprits that cause tooth decay. They eat the starches and sugars in your food, and excrete acid that harms your teeth. When it comes to germs, all foods have sugar in them. If you plan on eating a bedtime snack, make sure you brush your teeth again before you go to bed. Anything you introduce after brushing your teeth just sits in your mouth otherwise.

Brushing is essential for tooth health, but it also softens your teeth temporarily. While your teeth are vulnerable, avoid any food or drinks that may be acidic or cause staining. Coffee, tea, orange juice, and soda are major sources of tooth damage. Most importantly, if you’re going to bed, skip the late-night snack. Anything you eat will be a feast for decay-causing bacteria.