Waiting to Brush: Why Your Kids Dental Office May Surprise You

Would you be surprised if your kid’s dental office instructed them to wait before brushing? In a recent study, a group of people who consumed foods and beverages high in acid was observed for three weeks to see how their brushing habits after consumption affected their teeth. The researchers found that those in this group who brushed 20 minutes after consumptions experienced more tooth decay and erosion than those who waited 30-60 minutes after consumption to brush.

Your pediatric dentist in Sugar Land, Texas may now recommend your child wait at least 30 minutes to brush, especially after eating or drinking foods high in acidic content. When a person is brushing sooner than 30 minutes after eating or drinking, it can push the acid deeper into the tooth enamel, and speed up the process of erosion or tooth decay.

Some kids dental offices will recommend rinsing their mouths with one part baking soda to eight parts water before brushing to return the mouth to a neutralized state. Other pediatric dentists in Sugar Land, Texas are recommending their patients eat cheese after acidic foods or beverages due to the salivating effect chewy foods have. The more saliva that is produced, the easier it is to remove plaque, bacteria, and acid from the mouth.

For more information on how you can help keep your mouth free from acid and reduce the amount of erosion happening, visit http://yoursugarlanddentist.com/