Dentist reveals the two common brushing mistakes that turn your teeth yellow

A leading dentist has revealed the common mistake that leaves many of his patients with stained, yellow teeth.

In a warning to the public from Dr Ferakh Hamid, a British dentist with more than 20 years of experience in the industry has urged people to ensure they wet their brushes thoroughly.

Applying toothpaste directly to your teeth without enough water as a lubricant is a leading cause of stained teeth, he said.

He also warned of another regular cause of the problem: brushing too soon after eating or drinking acidic foods, such as tomatoes and orange juice.

“If you brush your teeth in certain ways, such as without water or right after eating acidic foods, they can actually look less white over time,” says Dr. Aesthetic dental care in Great Britainsaid.

‘Dry brushing may seem good at first to remove surface stains, but without water toothpaste does not spread properly.’

If you’ve just eaten acidic foods such as citrus, tomatoes, or soda, your teeth may be too weak to reap the benefits of brushing. Your teeth are covered with a protective layer called enamel.

Acidic foods can erode your enamel, so if you brush immediately after teeth have weakened, you may move the acid more around your mouth and not get the benefits of brushing, Dr. Hamid said. Brushing immediately after eating acidic foods will reveal the yellower layer underneath and make your teeth more yellow, he says.

Other dentists, such as Dr. Ezzard Rolle of Columbia University, whose assistant professor of dentistry, agrees with Dr. Hamid.

“We definitely recommend waiting to brush after eating something acidic, whether it’s fruit, soda, juice or sour candy,” he said in an university press release.

However, not everyone agrees with Dr. Hamid about dry brushing.

Adding water to the toothbrush makes the bristles too soft, making them less effective against plaque, says Dr. Michael Formenius, a dentist based in Dubai, wrote in an online question-and-answer session.

For that reason, Dr. Formenius said he recommends dry brushing to his patients.

But Dr. Hamid said that softening the bristles can actually be a bonus in terms of dental health.

‘If you wet the bristles, they become softer. This means that when you brush, it is gentler on your gums and teeth, preventing irritation or damage,” he said.

Wetting the toothbrush before brushing makes brushing more comfortable Delta Dental, the largest dental insurer in America, said in question and answer.

However, they wrote that the dampness of your toothbrush matters much less than how often and well you brush your teeth.

To get your pearly white teeth perfectly clean, Dr. Hamid that you should make sure you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes.

You should also clean your tongue once a day and visit your dentist regularly.

“Following these steps can help prevent dental problems and keep your mouth feeling good,” he said.