London dentist goes viral after saying you shouldn’t brush your teeth after vomiting

A London dentist, Dr Shaadi Manouchehri, has gone viral on TikTok with a surprising message about brushing your teeth. Her video, seen by over 12 million users according to USA Today, highlights three situations where brushing might actually be harmful, raising questions about the right way to maintain oral hygiene.

However, Dr Manouchehri’s advice to skip brushing after vomiting has caused the most confusion. Viewers expressed concerns, with one user commenting, “I would rather lose all of my teeth than not brush after vomiting!” 

Another wrote, “Apparently idk (I don’t know) when to brush.” 

According to Dr Manouchehri, the outermost layer on your teeth can be “worn away” by the stomach’s acidic contents if you choose to brush right after vomiting, USA Today reports.

So, is this claim based on facts?

Dr. Niyati Arora BDS, MDS (prosthodontist) at Krown Hub Dental Clinic, Pitampura, confirms that this is true. “Vomit consists of undigested food along with the acids that are produced by our stomach which helps to digest the food. This makes it acidic in nature. Once we vomit, the ambience in our mouth and throat becomes acidic. This acidic environment weakens our enamel — which is the outer mineralised structure of the tooth. If we brush at this time, one thing that can happen is that the enamel can abrade away easily as its already in a weakened state and we end up rubbing the acid of our mouth on all our teeth, exposing even more surfaces of teeth to acid and worsening the situation.”

Dr Nisha Thakkar, cosmetic dentist at Dr Karishma Aesthetics adds, “Enamel is the calcium covering of the tooth surface; it can wear off with acid. So, after vomiting, you should ideally wait for the acidic pH to get neutral, which generally takes 30 to 45 minutes.”

Saliva’s role in helping neutralise mouth acidity

⁠Not many people know this but saliva has numerous functions in the body. Saliva is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal covering on the teeth surface, Dr Thakkar says. It helps in digestion and mineralisation; saliva also contains buffer systems responsible for maintaining acid-base balance.

She continues, “The most important role is played by the bicarbonate buffer. The buffers maintain the pH of saliva between 5.7 and 6.2. There is no specific process to increase salivation in the mouth but drinking water, moisturising the lips, and breathing through the nose, are some ways to maintain salivation.”

Concurring, Dr Arora elucidates that bicarbonates (H2CO3) are central to maintaining acid-base disturbances happening in our oral cavity. The saliva that is saturated with all these ions constantly form a layer around our teeth and help the teeth to replenish the minerals that are lost during the demineralisation process.

Importance of timing when it comes to brushing teeth after consuming acidic substances or vomiting

According to Dr Arora, the worst time to brush the teeth would be right after consumption of acidic things. “It’s always better to wait for around 30 minutes before we brush our teeth.”

To avoid decay, Dr Thakkar agrees with Dr Arora on waiting for 30-45 mins before brushing your teeth. “Within this time the pH of the mouth shall be neutralised and it is safe to brush.”

In the meantime, she recommends we can do certain things to neutralise the ill effects of acid. “These would include swishing the mouth with normal drinking water, consuming dairy products and more of green vegetables that can help keep the saliva balanced and acids under control.”

Source - Indian Express