Experts have warned that the habit of brushing teeth within 3 minutes after eating can lead to tooth damage.
Recently, Dr. Kami Hoss, a dental and orthodontic specialist, appeared on the CNN podcast ‘Chasing Life’ and recommended starting oral care before breakfast, not after. Every time you consume food or drink, the pH of your saliva drops and your mouth becomes acidic. In particular, when you eat foods high in sugar or refined carbohydrates, bacteria in your mouth break down the food and secrete acid. This acid corrodes the minerals on the tooth surface and demineralizes them, causing cavities. It is believed that brushing your teeth before breakfast, or at least an hour after eating, is better for protecting your teeth.
He emphasized that taking care of the ‘tongue’ and ‘between the teeth’ is as important as brushing teeth. The surface of the tongue is a breeding ground for bad breath and harmful microorganisms. “It is difficult to clean the deep crevices of the tongue with a toothbrush alone,” he said. “You can brush your tongue with a toothbrush, but this only provides very minimal cleaning.” The advice is to use a U-shaped metal cleaner or scooper-shaped tongue cleaner to remove bacteria and sulfur (sulfur) compounds.
Flossing your teeth is also important. “Most cavities start between teeth where a toothbrush cannot reach,” Dr. Hoss said. “Some dental floss contains cleaning ingredients, which can be helpful, but avoid products with added PTFE (permanent chemicals) or petroleum-based waxes, such as microcrystalline wax.” The explanation is that if you finish in the order of ‘floss → brush → gargle’ before going to bed and do not rinse with water, you can expect the effect of protecting the tooth surface throughout the night.
Fluoride is an ingredient proven to prevent tooth decay. However, controversy over side effects from excessive consumption has also been consistently raised. When growing children are exposed to high doses of fluoride, there is a risk of enamel discoloration and deformation (fluorosis), and in rare cases, concerns about systemic side effects are raised. Dr. Hoss said that individual use should be judged based on age, dental condition, and risk of cavities. For example, the position is that the benefits may outweigh the risks for adolescents and adults undergoing orthodontic treatment or at high risk of cavities.
On the other hand, groups at high risk of overexposure, such as pregnant women and infants, should be cautious. At this time, ‘nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA)’ was suggested as an alternative ingredient. n-HA is a material developed by NASA in the 1970s and has a similar composition to tooth enamel. It binds to micro-damaged areas to help remineralization and protects enamel from acidic environments. You can also expect relief from tooth sensitivity and natural whitening effects.
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