We all know that our teeth need a clean twice a day. That's child's play - two minutes every morning and night, we get it.
But some of us still need to brush up on some areas of our dental knowledge, as it turns out there are some occasions when we should leave our gnashers alone.
Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri, a London-based dentist, has warned people that there are three specific times when you should never brush your teeth, as you will be doing more harm than good. Take a look here:
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We all love that super fresh feeling after having a good scrub with a bit of Colgate or whatever your toothpaste of choice is, especially when we might have overdone it with sweet treats or feel like there is something stuck in our teeth.
But Dr. Manouchehri told her nearly 19,000 Instagram followers in a post on her account, @dr.shaadi.manouchehri, that they should resist refreshing their mouths in a trio of certain circumstances.
She regularly shares tips on dental hygiene with social media users and many are often left stunned by her revelations - and this one is no different.
In a short clip, the London School of Medicine and Dentistry graduate detailed three individual occasions before explaining the reasons why you should never get your toothbrush involved.
Dr. Manouchehri explained: "You should never brush after you've just vomited. The contents of the stomach are extremely acidic and the mouth is in a very acidic state so, if you brush straight after you are basically wearing away your enamel."
Although it might be the most effective way of trying to wash away the horrid sensation of being sick, you are essentially smearing all the bad stuff in every nook and cranny if you brush your teeth straight after.
The dentist continued: "You should never brush straight after breakfast.
"This is when you have just eaten, your mouth is in a very acidic state and if you brush your teeth you are rubbing that acid on the tooth, which is a mineral, and it can wear it down."
She also claimed that brushing your teeth should be off limits if you've just scranned loads of sweets.
Dr Manouchehri continued: "Don't brush your teeth when you've just had sweets, wait at least 60 minutes.
"This is because when you have just eaten sweets the mouth has digested it into an acid is going to get rubbed on the teeth and destroy the enamel."
Grinding or clenching your teeth, environmental factors, wear and tear, drinking sugary drinks, eating sugary foods or eating acidic foods are the leading causes of enamel loss - and we need to cling onto it, as that's what protects our pearly whites.
It's safe to say social media users were pretty shocked by Dr. Manouchehri's warning and the comment section was abuzz with debate.
One said: "Welp, I’m screwed. I’ve been doing all 3 for my whole life," while another wrote: "Okay lady so what should we do instead??? Sit in vomit breath? Please help."
A third added: "Not me always brushing my teeth after these thinking I'm doing the most."
And a fourth chimed in: "Why aren’t theses things told to us as kids!? A lot of our teeth could’ve been saved if we started knowing sooner!??"
Others disputed Dr. Manouchehri's claims in the comment section though, saying they had been advised differently by their own dentists - so next time you're getting a clean and polish, here's some ammo so your locked and loaded to make small talk.
Topics: Health, Instagram, News, Food And Drink
Olivia Burke