Things We Should Never Do After Brushing Our Teeth

Eating Citrus Fruits

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After brushing your teeth, avoid treating yourself the common breakfast of oranges and lemons. The acid can erode tooth enamel, leaving your teeth vulnerable to sensitivity and decay. And trust me, your mouth won't feel too good after you've had any either!Original content sourced from Quizzable.com

Drinking Soda

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Furthermore, after brushing you should always steer clear of soda. It is a recipe for disaster as the acidity in soda and the sugar levels make it even worse as damage to your enamel and cavities can occur. The carbonation really doesn't mix with the components of the toothpaste either.

Drinking Fruit Juice

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Another drink that could also damage your teeth and erode the enamel, are fruit juices. Fruit juices with the natural sugars can affect freshly brushed teeth, so it is best you wait a little before drinking fresh juices. Or you could just choose to stick to drinking water from the morning instead.

Chewing Gum

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Chewing gum may seem like it should add to helping you mouth stay clean and healthy but this isn't the case. Many gum brands contain sugars and acids that directly contradict the benefit of toothpaste. And you shouldn't have any need to freshen your mouth up anyway!

Using Toothpicks

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Using toothpicks can help to get them irritating bits of food stuck in your teeth but doing this directly after brushing may damage your gums or damage the enamel you've just brushed. Instead of using a toothpick, you should probably just brush a little more to get those pesky bits of leftover food.

Drinking Alcohol

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Drinking alcohol is a bad choice. Alcohol can dry up saliva, reducing its protective effects. It will probably leave your breath smelling bad too, so it is best to not drink after you brush. And after all, who's choosing to down a beer or have some wine straight after they brush their teeth?

Smoking

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Smoking post-brushing is again, something that should be avoided at all costs. Smoking can cause stains on your teeth but probably worse than that, it can cause gum disease making it a habit to avoid after brushing. Not only that, but it's going to leave your mouth with quite the funny taste.

Drinking Coffee

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As tempting as it may seem, one of the worst things you can do after brushing your teeth is drink tea or coffee. Consuming coffee can lead to staining of the teeth and can interfere with your toothpastes fluoride action. Therefore the whole brush would have been a waste of your time!

Using Mouthwash Immediately After

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Although, mouthwash is an essential part of your oral healthcare, you should always consider waiting a little while before using it as it could wash away the concentrate parts of fluoride within your mouth. You might think this seems odd, but ask your dentist for some advice if necessary.

Eating Sticky Foods

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Sugary snacks and candies can be really damaging to your teeth. The stickiness of these snacks can adhere to your teeth therefore creating a sugary coating on your teeth leading to cavities. This would make the entire process of brushing your teeth in the first place just a little pointless.

Chewing on Ice

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Chewing on ice may seem tempting to get some refreshing water, but the extreme cold and hardness could crack or chip your tooth. After brushing if you're in need of refreshment try water instead. I know there's not many of us who chew ice, but just to make sure, don't do it!

Eating Hard Candy

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Hard candies are a sweet temptation in the morning but for the same reason as ice they can potentially crack your teeth, but also the sugar can erode your enamel. The sugars from the sweets can linger and your breath will quickly return to a level that you probably don't want them to be.

Brushing Your Teeth Too Hard

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While brushing your teeth vigorously may seem like an effective way to brush, actually brushing with a softer touch or with caution may lead to healthier oral experience. So instead of stopping early, you should give your teeth a lengthy brush instead of a long one.

Don't Use a Toothbrush With Frayed Bristles

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Keeping your toothbrush in good condition is key. Brushing with a frayed bristle brush can irritate gums and may not be as effective when brushing your teeth. So if you find out that your toothbrush is beginning to fray, don't ignore it, go out and get yourself a fresh brush instead.

Consuming Dairy Products

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While dairy products contain lots and lots of calcium which is good for your teeth, consuming them too quickly may wash away fluoride that protects your teeth. Pretty much every time you decide to have a drink after you've brushed your teeth you might be wasting your time.

Consuming Spicy Foods

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Spicy foods can be tasty especially when having breakfast, but consuming spicy foods straight after can irritate your mouth. It's probably best to wait a little while before consuming a spicy breakfast. Maybe you can stick to your eggs, bacon or cereal an hour or so after you've brushed (or before!).

Eating High-Fiber Foods

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Eating high fiber foods, like apples and carrots. could have bad effects on your teeth straight after brushing as they could rub out any fluoride rich toothpaste from your teeth. This isn't to stop you from eating healthy though, just grab a bite to eat BEFORE you decide to brush your gnashers.

Using Your Teeth As Tools

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Your teeth are not as strong as they seem, using them to open packages and cracking nuts is bad for you as this could lead to cracks or chips in your teeth. And if you decide to do this in the time after you've brushed your teeth then you might just end up causing yourself some more problems.

Biting Your Nails

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A harmful habit to have, especially when you have just brushed your teeth, biting your nails can damage enamel and potentially damage teeth as chipping could occur. There's no point brushing to try and protect your teeth if you're only going to put them at harm in another way!

Drinking Sports Drinks

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Another drink that is often consumed in the morning to get you going, are sports drinks. These drinks being high in sugar content, can contribute to tooth decay and damage enamel. They might get you feeling energised before you head out but your teeth won't feel any better.

Eating Acidic Foods

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Acidic foods such as tomatoes and certain types of fish can be harmful to oral health as once again they weaken the enamel that is needed for a healthy mouth. Again, you can still enjoy these foods in the morning, but you might want to eat before you choose to brush for the day.

Drinking Carbonated Water

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While not as harmful as sugary sodas. Drinking soda water over time will also slowly add to decay of teeth, rinsing your mouth out with still water after could have large benefits. I would probably just stick to drinking still water anyway, not to start an argument with all you carbonated drinkers!

Use Your Toothbrush As A Tongue Scraper

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While it may seem like a toothbrush is playing an effective role in cleaning your tongue. It is probably carrying bacteria from your tongue to your teeth. Investing in a tongue scraper is a better option and this will also protect your brush from feeling any damage in the future too.

You Should Not Sip Water During Brushing

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Sipping water while brushing or even straight after can dilute the essential protective barrier you gain from brushing. Therefore, it maybe best that you hydrate yourself roughly 5 minutes after. This will allow the toothpaste to have at least began working its magic.

Eating Hard Nuts

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Nuts on some breakfast can be a healthy alternative, but they can also be tough on your teeth. Chipping and damage to your gums are more likely to occur especially if you consume them straight after brushing. You can still introduce these nuts to your diet though, they'll be great for the body!

Drinking Really Hot Drinks

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Drinking really hot drinks should be avoided, the sudden temperature changes straight after brushing over time can change the sensitivity of your teeth. Wait for your drinks to cool down or you might begin to notice the strength and health of your teeth begin to deteriorate quickly.

Vomit

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I know this isn't usually something that you can control or choose when or not to do it, but vomiting quickly after your brushing your teeth will leave you feeling as though you've ruined your morning. To be fair though, if you vomit the only thing on your mind will be getting back to bed!

Skipping Flossing

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If you skip flossing it could result in leftover food stuck in your teeth. Flossing is a key part and should always be carried out after brushing to be extra clean. Make sure to always have some spare floss material with you; this way you'll be optimising the entire process of brushing your teeth.

Skipping Rinsing

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After brushing, rinse your mouth out with water after about 5 minutes. Alternatively use antimicrobial mouthwash, skipping this step can leave behind toothpaste and reduce the effects of fluoride. Any way you can try to protect your teeth will be beneficial for yourself!

Eating High-Sugar Snacks

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Consuming high sugar snacks right after brushing is damaging to your oral health as it counteracts the efforts of brushing your teeth. Sugar in snacks weakens enamel and causes cavities. Why not stick to eating some fruit and have your sweet treats a little less frequently or later in the day.