Brush Your Teeth
For healthy teeth and gums, brushing your teeth properly twice a day is crucial. You probably remind your child to brush their teeth every day, and your dentist might even advise you to brush more frequently yourself. However, this does not imply that cleaning your teeth is always a good idea.
Here are a few special situations in which brushing should be avoided or postponed.
1. Right after meals and snacks
Perhaps your parents instructed you to wait at least 30 minutes after eating before going swimming. Apparently, this rule is a misconception. There is, however, an additional 30-minute rule that you ought to follow. Allow 30 minutes between eating and cleaning your teeth. If you brush shortly after a snack or meal, the acid from the food will only be brushed onto your enamel, weakening the protective layer of your teeth. Drink some water during this half-hour period to help balance the PH levels in your mouth and wash out the accumulated sugar.
2. After vomiting
You could be tempted to clean your teeth to clear out the terrible taste in your mouth after throwing up. However, this is something you should never do. Instead, take at least 20 minutes before brushing in this case. Vomit jas gastric acid in it, and if you immediately clean your teeth afterward, you are doing harm to your enamel. If you want to get the taste out of your mouth immediately, try rinsing with plain water, chewing on a sugar-free breath mint, or eating anything bland. Also, remember to get a new toothbrush after the culprit of your nausea has been diagnosed and treated.
3. While taking a shower
Sometimes, there could be no time for brushing in the morning, and being a parent can make the time issues even worse. However, there is a proper time and place you should brush your teeth, and it is not in the shower. Hurrying in the shower translates to rushing when brushing, which means you’ll probably avoid brushing for half of the necessary two minutes. Thousands of microorganisms can also be found in your shower head, which can enter your mouth with your toothbrush. The ideal option is to brush in front of a mirror while concentrating just on keeping your teeth clean.
4. On the toilet
Your mouth and the toilet are quite similar since they both house huge amounts of bacteria. It may sound disgusting, yet it is true. While using the toilet, do not brush your teeth. While it’s a great place to browse Facebook and catch up on the latest news, it’s not ideal for maintaining appropriate oral hygiene. Airborne toilet bacteria can enter your mouth, potentially resulting in major health problems.
5. Together with other people
Yes, you can brush together with another person, but sharing a toothbrush is not a good idea! This is a terrible idea for a number of reasons, including the following:
- If your gums bleed when you brush, you run the risk of spreading a bloodborne infection
- You can spread harmful microorganisms including lactobacillus, MRSA, and pseudomonas (germs that cause pneumonia)
- If other people don’t properly clean or rinse their toothbrushes, you will be exposed to anything they consumed the previous evening
The aforementioned information should help you improve your dental hygiene and preserve the health of your teeth and gums. By brushing your teeth twice a day, you can reduce your risk of developing cavities, but only if you do it correctly.
