Advice from your Central London Dentist about Brushing Your Teeth Right after You Drink Soda
People brush their teeth to keep them in good shape and clean. However, if you brush your teeth immediately after soda consumption may accelerate the damage to your teeth rather than help preserve them. This is most likely due to the damaging effect that the soda’s acid has on tooth enamel, and with this acid present, tooth brushing can further worsen the enamel damage. A research study has reported that allowing thirty to sixty minutes following the consumption of the soda can help to protect the enamel. This works by allowing the mineral buffering action of the saliva time to work. The longer the waiting period after soda consumption, the less likely the enamel damage. The normal buffering pH of saliva is 6.2-7.0. If the saliva’s pH drops below 5.5, the tooth enamel can weaken and begin to demineralise. Soda has a pH of 2.5, due to the ingredient phosphoric acid, and can cause a lot of enamel damage. Saliva normalizes this acidic and protects the teeth. If tooth enamel is allowed to weaken, the tooth has a higher probability of breaking. Chewing sugarless gum after soda consumption is a good solution.
