A top dentist has revealed the common mistake that leaves many of his patients left with discolored and yellowed teeth.
In a warning to the public by Dr Ferakh Hamid, a UK-based dentist with over 20 years’ experience in the sector, urged people to ensure they wet their brushes properly.
Applying toothpaste directly to your teeth without enough water as a lubricant is one of the leading causes of tooth stains, he said.
He also warned of another factor regularly contributing to the problem: brushing your teeth too soon after eating or drinking acidic foods, like tomatoes and orange juice.
“Brushing your teeth in certain ways, for example without water or right after eating acidic foods, could actually make them less white over time,” said Dr Hamid, head of Aesthetique Dental Care in the UK. .
Dr Ferakh Hamid, a UK-based dentist, said brushing your teeth without water can make your teeth look “dull” and brushing your teeth after eating acidic foods can make your teeth look yellower.
“Dry brushing may seem effective at removing surface stains at first, but without water, toothpaste doesn’t spread well.”
If you’ve just eaten acidic foods – like citrus fruits, tomatoes or soda – your teeth may be too weak to benefit from the benefits of brushing. Your teeth are covered with a protective layer called enamel.
Acidic foods can eat away at your enamel, so if you brush right after having weakened teeth, you risk moving more acid into your mouth and not getting the benefits of brushing, Dr. Hamid said. Brushing your teeth right after eating acidic foods “reveals the yellower layer underneath and makes your teeth look yellower,” he said.
Other dentists, like Columbia University’s Dr. Ezzard Rolle, assistant professor of dentistry, agree with Dr. Hamid.
“We strongly recommend not brushing your teeth after consuming anything acidic, whether it’s fruit, soda, juice or sour candy,” he said in a statement from university press.
However, not everyone agrees with Dr. Hamid on dry brushing.
Adding water to the toothbrush softens the bristles too much, making them less effective against plaque, Dr. Michael Formenius, a Dubai-based dentist, wrote in an online question-and-answer session.
For this reason, Dr. Formenius recommends dry brushing to his patients.
But Dr. Hamid said softening hairs can actually be a benefit when it comes to dental health.
“When you wet the hairs, they soften. This means that when you brush your teeth, it’s gentler on your gums and teeth, helping to prevent any irritation or damage,” he said.
Wetting the toothbrush before brushing your teeth makes the brushing experience more comfortable. Delta Dental, America’s largest dental insurance provider, said during a question-and-answer session.
However, they write, the humidity of your brush matters much less than the frequency and quality of your toothbrushing.
In order to get perfectly clean pearly whites, Dr. Hamid said you need to make sure you brush for two minutes twice a day.
You should also clean your tongue once a day and visit your dentist regularly.
“Following these steps will help prevent dental problems and keep your mouth in tip-top shape,” he said.
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