A recent survey found that two-thirds of adult Americans drink coffee every day, and they chug it more than any other beverage — including water! For many of those folks, a cup of joe is the first thing they reach for in the morning — even before their toothbrush. But should we be brushing our teeth before we get our caffeine fix? Or is it better to brush after we’ve had our coffee?
That’s what we — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson, co-hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast — asked Dr. Stephanie Dumanian, owner of Park Lex 60 Dental, when she joined us to chat about the secrets of keeping our teeth healthy.
“I don’t think my marriage would last very long if I didn’t brush early [in the morning],” Dumanian joked. “Generally speaking, I like to brush before breakfast.”
That’s not just because she wants to annihilate her morning breath before it lands her in divorce court. There’s a medical reason Dumanian brushes before — not after — having her coffee or eating breakfast.
“I think the main thing to keep in mind is that generally when you’re eating... you’re probably introducing some acidic foods into the mix,” she told us. “So you don’t want to brush directly after having something acidic... like coffee.”
If you brush directly after your coffee, she explained, your mouth has essentially become a danger zone.
“If you now have a lot of acid in your mouth... you’re basically brushing your teeth with acid, which is bad for the enamel.”
Coffee isn’t the only popular morning beverage that can deliver a blow to your dental health. Lemon water can also be problematic.
“I’m not going to lie — I see a lot of effects on patients’ enamel [from drinking lemon water],” Dumanian said. “I’ll be like, ‘What happened? Do you have acid reflux? What’s changed?’ And they can’t figure it out. And then I ask, ‘Do you drink lemon water in the morning?’ And they’re like, ‘Every morning!’ And I’m like, ‘Ahhhhhhhh!’ and I ask, ‘Do you brush your teeth right after, too?’ And they’re like ‘Yeah!’ and I’m like, ‘This is terrible!’”
Many people assume it’s better to brush after drinking coffee or eating other potentially staining foods, but Dumanian has a way to keep your teeth white and healthy.
“Just have a little bit of a rinse with water and then brush like after half an hour — 20 minutes — something like that,” she said. Swishing before you brush will help reduce the acid in your mouth, making it safer to clean your teeth, and will also flush out anything that might cause staining.
Another option? Use a straw.
“That’s gonna deliver [the coffee or tea] more directly right down your throat — it’s not getting exposed to your teeth as much,” she said.
Dumanian also chatted with us about why some people get more cavities than others, her favourite toothpastes, the unexpected reason we might have bad breath and much more.
After you’ve had a listen above or wherever you get your podcasts, make sure to subscribe to “Am I Doing It Wrong?” on whatever podcast platform you prefer so you don’t miss a single episode, including our investigations of the ins and outs of tipping; how to apologise; vanquishing your credit card debt; how to find love online or overcome anxiety; tips for online shopping, taking care of your teeth and pooping like a pro; secrets to booking and staying in a hotel; how to deal with an angry person; shocking laundry secrets; the tips and tricks for cleaner dishes; how to make your dog happier; secrets to a healthy heart; and much more.
For more from Dr. Stephanie Dumanian, visit the official website for Park Lex 60 Dental.
Need some help with something you’ve been doing wrong? Email us at AmIDoingItWrong@HuffPost.com, and we might investigate the topic in an upcoming episode.