When Do You NOT Brush Your Teeth

We have all been taught to brush our teeth regularly and religiously. And more is better, right? 

Cleaning your teeth of food debris, sugars, plaque and bacteria is a good thing, so more brushing done more often has got to be a great thing, right?

And three times a day, once after every meal, has got to be the best, right?

Well, not quite true–as brushing your teeth directly after eating and/or drinking can actually be damaging to your enamel.

While brushing your teeth regularly is a very good and a critical habit, one needs to understand a few basics about the mechanics of brushing.

Thankfully, these are pretty simple to grasp and put into practice they will elevate your brushing to its proper level.

Let’s start with what you are trying to do by brushing your teeth: You want to clear away food debris, sugars and such from the teeth as these are all food for the bacteria on your teeth (and in the gums).

That’s it–you are NOT trying to scour and scrub your teeth, as overly vigorous brushing can actually damage your enamel.

So, rule number one–SAVE YOUR ENAMEL, as it cannot be regrown. Brush using gentle pressure and use a soft bristle toothbrush. Avoid highly abrasive toothpastes, such as charcoal, avoid stiff, hard bristle toothbrushes and, once again, don’t use heavy pressure while brushing.

And, as a note, if you have flossed well, then the actual time spent brushing is really just 1-2 minutes. It should not take an eternity!

Now to rule number two:working with the processes that have evolved with nature to choose the best time to brush your teeth, and so better understand when NOT to brush your teeth.

Your enamel is the hardest and strongest material in your body. It is tough, but as it does not regrow nature had to evolve a way to keep it strong. That natural repair process can be found in your saliva.

Your saliva provides minerals that bond to minute “holes” in your enamel, keeping it strong and solid. Plus, your saliva counteracts the destructive acids that bacteria produce (these are the acids that destroy your enamel) by balancing the pH (acid-alkaline level) in your mouth.

Why is this so important? Two reasons:

• One, after you eat, you have provided lots of food for the bacteria in your mouth and this fuel speeds up their life cycle and production of acids. Acids soften and weaken the enamel, so your teeth are more vulnerable after eating.
• Two, this is especially true when eating acidic foods and particularly after consuming acidic liquids. Many of the foods, and beverages, in our modern diets are quite acidic. Along with fueling the bacteria, the actual acidity that is consumed can significantly soften your enamel.

Brushing your teeth when the enamel is soft, due to acids, is destructive and will actually remove enamel. That is not what you want to accomplish at all by brushing.

What you want to do, after eating and drinking (anything but water) is to give your mouth and its saliva a chance to return to a more normal pH and for the enamel to “harden up” before brushing. This is usually a period of 30 to 60 minutes.

Should your mouth feel “gunky” after eating you can, of course, rinse with water or a bit of salt water.

Another superior solution is to use a few drops of our OraRestore tooth and gum oil. This special formulation will inhibit the growth of bad bacteria but will not harm the enamel. It also will stimulate saliva production and help to freshen your breath after eating.

In closing, to keep it simple, brush your teeth in the morning upon awakening BEFORE eating or drinking and then again at night before bedtime. DO NOT brush your teeth for at least 30-60 minutes after eating or drinking.

If you need a cleanse, then either rinse with water and/or use several drops of OraRestore tooth and gum oil on your teeth, along the gum line and tongue.

LINK: Click here to find out more about our natural OraRestore tooth and gum oil