Many of us strive to keep our teeth healthy, with brushing, flossing and using mouthwash common practices. However, an expert has warned that the time of day you eat could also affect your mouth.
More specifically, dentist Dr Ellie Phillips, from the US, revealed that there are two hours during the day during which you should not be eating or drinking.
This can help protect your teeth and avoid the need for “unnecessary” dental treatments, she said.
Speaking to her more than 410,000 followers on social media platform TikTok, Dr Phillips shared her advice.
She captioned the clip: ‘The time of day when you should NOT eat or drink.’
Dr Phillips revealed that eating in the afternoon can negatively impact your smile.
She explained that you should “leave your mouth alone” after you eat your lunch for at least a “couple hours” so your saliva can “mineralize” your teeth.
As reported by the Mail Online, Dr Phillips said: “There are two hours during the day when you shouldn’t be eating and you shouldn’t be drinking.
“’m Dr. Ellie and I’m here to help you avoid unnecessary dental treatments.”
The time limit is linked to your circadian rhythm – the body’s natural 24-hour cycle – which she said is linked to the flow of saliva into your mouth.
According to Dr Phillips, your saliva will move more “slowly” and be more “acidic” in the morning.
She continued: “But after lunch, in the early afternoon hours, your resting saliva will naturally be a higher pH, close to the pH necessary for mineralization of your teeth.
“It will also be a better flow, it will be more liquid to move around your mouth.”
To avoid any issues she shared exactly what your lunchtime routine should be.
“What you eat for lunch will have an effect on the quality of the salvia in your mouth during the afternoon, so having a salad for lunch is really good,” she added.
“Then, maybe have a little bit of xylitol [a natural sweetener that can be found in some gum] just to start the flow of this good, healthy salvia. And then, in the afternoon hours, leave your mouth alone.”
She stressed that you shouldn’t eat or drink anything for two hours in the afternoon following your midday meal.
At the end of the clip, she also urged viewers to avoid snacking.
Responding to one comment, Dr Phillips advised brushing your teeth in the morning when you know you’re not going to eat or drink for one to two hours after.
To help keep your teeth healthy, the NHS advice is:
- Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss between your teeth
- Cut down on sugar
- Quit smoking
- Limiting your alcohol intake
- Brush baby teeth as soon as they come through
- Get children into a teeth-cleaning routine
- Have regular dental check-ups.
