{"id":164,"date":"2018-04-27T00:03:22","date_gmt":"2018-04-27T04:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cypressspringsdental.com\/blog\/?p=164"},"modified":"2019-08-16T00:05:40","modified_gmt":"2019-08-16T04:05:40","slug":"stop-brushing-after-you-eat-do-this-instead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cypressspringsdental.com\/blog\/stop-brushing-after-you-eat-do-this-instead\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop Brushing After You Eat \u2013 Do This Instead"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For a long time, we\u2019ve been told to brush our teeth right after we eat, but conventional wisdom might be changing on that. Thanks to your mouth\u2019s powerful and natural ability to clean itself, rinsing with water might actually be the best way to freshen your breath and prevent cavities after you eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to your everyday hygiene routine, rinsing with water is a free, easy way to maintain oral health throughout the day. To understand this, read below about what happens in your mouth after you eat and why water is so great for your teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Digestion Begins in Your Mouth<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You might think that digestion starts in your stomach, but it actually starts in your mouth! The combination of chewing your food and the special bacteria in your mouth are essential to swallowing and digesting your food. Probiotics are specific bacteria that live in your mouth every day and begin the whole process of digestion by breaking down your food on a microscopic level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our world today, we\u2019re trained to think of bacteria as all bad and dangerous, but that\u2019s simply not the case. Oral bacteria are natural and important for your health. Of course, bad bacteria do exist (pathogens), but you\u2019d be lost without the help of probiotics that break down food and help keep your mouth clean. After you eat, these bacteria get their own meal from the tiny leftovers of food on your teeth and gums. The byproduct of this bacterial feast is acid, which can damage your enamel and cause tooth decay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cavities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s normal for some amount of food to be leftover in your mouth after eating, but frequent snacking and foods high in sugar put you at extra risk for cavities. The constant presence of food on your teeth, especially sugar, make the bacteria and plaque in your mouth produce too much acid. Acid can break down your enamel, especially when combined with the force of brushing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cavities are holes in your tooth enamel that threaten your tooth and oral health. The enamel protects and strengthens your tooth and it can\u2019t be rebuilt once it starts to decay. Kids and adults of any age can develop a cavity. Cavities can cause pain and inflammation and usually need a filling<\/a> to restore the tooth to health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can prevent cavities with good oral hygiene. This includes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n