Dental Care: Brushing is very important for cleaning teeth. It often happens that people eat something immediately after brushing. But do you know that you should not eat anything immediately after brushing? Doing this can damage the tooth enamel.
What is enamel?
The upper layer of teeth is called enamel. It is very hard which provides strength to the teeth, but this layer can be affected by acid. When we brush, food particles and bacteria are removed from the gums and teeth and in this process the enamel also wears away a little. Therefore, if we eat something immediately after brushing, the acid present on the enamel can wear away it further. This can reduce the shine of teeth and also cause tingling and pain in the gums.
Chemistry of mouth and toothpaste:
Generally, the toothpastes available in the market are of basic nature whose pH ranges from about 7.5 to 9. Whereas the mouth is slightly acidic whose pH can be around 6 to 7.5. Or it can be said that the pH of the mouth is almost neutral. Now because toothpaste is basic in nature, the acid present on the enamel gets removed after brushing. Therefore eating immediately is harmful for gums and teeth.
Do not eat anything for 20 minutes.
According to experts, one should not eat anything for at least 20 minutes after brushing. This is because in this time the acid present on the enamel is almost recovered. If you are hungry, you can drink water or consume any light beverage.
Also avoid spicy food.
Spicy food should be avoided immediately after brushing. The acid present in spicy food can cause further damage to the enamel. Apart from this, spicy food can also cause toothache, burning sensation and tingling sensation in the gums.
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