Most people are taught how to brush their teeth as a child and it seems they often stick with what they were told, no matter how long ago it was. However as years go by research comes up with a host of different policies but how many of us pick up the new advice?
For it seems many people are not brushing their teeth in the way many dentists now recommend. For despite the fears of a minty meal experts say we should clean our teeth for two minutes - BEFORE we have our breakfast.
One mumsnetter told how they had been to the dentist this week only to be told they had been getting it wrong all their life. DoIreallybrushmyteeththen asked fellow posters if it was unreasonable to only be discovering this now after years of cleaning their teeth after the first meal of the day.
Some others backed the stance with one posting: "I'm in my mid 40s, don't have a filling and have just had a clean bill of health from the dentist. I brush for 2 mins with a timed electric toothbrush (30 secs per mouth section) and floss every evening. I clean them after breakfast and before bed. Works well for me."
And ownworstnme agreed adding: "Yuck. Minty breakfast no thanks! I only brush before if I'm going out for breakfast."
But others confirmed the timings - both on medical and taste grounds. DriveMeCrazy1974 commented: "I've always cleaned my teeth before breakfast - in fact, I clean them as soon as I get up. I can't imagine sitting around in the morning with morning breath! Ew! By the way, as long as you rinse properly, it won't make your toast taste minty!"
And Equalitea added: "Older relative is a dentist. If you brush your teeth after breakfast you’re swishing all the acid around your mouth, thinking of Jam, sugary cereal, fruit, juice etc. We have always brushed before breakfast."
So what do dentists say? Niall Sloan of Sloan Dental says: "Brushing should always be done BEFORE breakfast. Bacteria begin to metabolize sugars into acids almost instantly.
"Bacterial biofilms in your mouth have been maturing overnight in a reduced saliva environment gearing up for sugars in the morning. Clearing bacteria out before the introduction of food makes far more sense than brushing after they have already soaked up sugars to produce acids that cause cavities.
"How much damage the bacteria cause is dependent on the quality of bacteria in your mouth (some people hit the lottery and have great oral bacteria).
"Salivary calcium levels are lowest in the morning putting your teeth are at a much higher risk of acidic damage from bacteria and dietary acids in the morning than at any other time." He added: "If you brush before breakfast, it kickstarts salivary flow that has been reduced overnight and introduces in fluoride to the mix which will help buffer your teeth against acids.
"If you consume, acidic foods or drinks they can soften your enamel and make you teeth more vulnerable to toothbrush abrasion if you brush immediately afterwards. Toothbrush abrasion and erosion are becoming increasingly common so we need to pay greater mind.
"Scrubbing on your teeth right after your enamel has been softened up by something like OJ will lead to toothbrush abrasion and increased sensitivity of your teeth."
But do you then have to brush once more after eating? Not necessarily according to Niall Sloan.
He said: "A lot of people ask if you brush before do you also have to brush again after eating. If you brushed before breakfast, all you really need to do afterwards is clear residual food (especially sugars) from your mouth. You can do this by rinsing afterwards (ideally with an alkaline mouthwash to re-balance oral pH) and then doing a quick cleaning to remove food stuck between an on teeth."
However it appears there might be mixed views on just how essential the timing on a morning is. For the NHS says: "Brush your teeth for about 2 minutes last thing before you go to bed and on 1 other occasion every day. Your dentist or hygienist may give you more advice based on your own dental health and needs."
