Dentists actually *don’t* want you to brush your teeth after eating these foods

Today in things you didn’t know you were doing wrong but are: brushing your teeth. I didn’t expect to get into a debate about teeth brushing habits well, ever, but here we are don’t @ me. Apparently there are people who brush their teeth after eating breakfast, instead of first thing in the morning like a normal person. This is apparently the hill I have chosen to die on today. But, there is some wisdom to brushing before you eat. When you brush your teeth after eating certain foods, it can wear away your enamel more quickly than if you had just brushed when you woke up. (Again, like a normal person.)

Dr. Brian Kantor, cosmetic dentist of Lowenberg, Lituchy & Kantor in New York City, says that brushing your teeth right after eating anything acidic or high in sugar is bad for your enamel. “Foods with low pH levels—acidic foods like citrus fruits and juices—are especially bad,” he says. “We should also be wary of sugary foods that can stick to your teeth and remain in your mouth even after brushing, such as sucking candies, can do a lot of damage over a short period of time.”

These foods soften your tooth enamel, so when you brush right after eating them it can wear it down. “Rinsing with water after you eat or drink anything acidic is a great way to remove food particles and harmful acidic materials from your mouth.” To be safe, he recommends waiting 30 minutes after eating these foods before brushing if you’re the kind of person who brushes post-eating.

“It is important to remember that your saliva is one of the biggest defenses against tooth erosion and cavities,” he adds. “Let your body do what it was programmed to do first and neutralize what you eat, and then brush.”

These are the 5 things dentists do every day for whiter teeth. And not to be a major bummer, but these 6 foods are, like, really bad for your teeth.