# brushing teeth before or after breakfast? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 2, 2000, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315 "2000-07-02T00:28:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/1 "2000-07-02T00:28:27Z")
My family has always brushed our teeth after breakfast. That seems to make sense to me - it gets rid of scraps of breakfast. It seems we’re in the minority though - is there any advantage to brushing teeth before (and only before) breakfast? ---
**Author:** ![Wood\_Thrush](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b38774/32.png) [@Wood\_Thrush](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wood_Thrush)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/2 "2000-07-02T01:49:08Z")
From [Big Smile: Brushing Your Teeth](http://www.bigsmile.com/procedures/e/3.html): > [@](#): > > It is extremely important that you brush after every meal to prevent the build up of plaque. From [Brushing Tips](http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/wisdomtooth/brushing.htm): > [@](#): > > To prevent plaque damage, be sure to brush at least once every day, preferably at bedtime. Adding a brush time after breakfast increases your chances of thorough daily plaque removal. From [How to Brush and Maintain Your Teeth](http://www.healthmantra.com/pt-art2.htm): > [@](#): > > **Frequency** > > Thorough cleaning once a day should normally be adequate it is better and more efficient to brush at least twice. Timings are after breakfast and after dinner which keeps your teeth clean from all food particles. There you have it. Your family is correct, **scr4**. Brush after every meal. Breakfast is a meal. So brush after breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/3 "2000-07-02T01:56:45Z")
Well, I know it would be better to brush after breakfast, but brushing makes me gag. If I have anything in my stomach and I brush my teeth, I vomit. I brush before my morning coffee and if i eat breakfast I floss afterward. ---
**Author:** ![Wood\_Thrush](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b38774/32.png) [@Wood\_Thrush](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wood_Thrush)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/4 "2000-07-02T02:21:49Z")
_If_ you eat breakfast\*\*\*?!\*\*\* **lee** , you aren’t leading the healthiest lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/5 "2000-07-02T02:36:37Z")
I used to brush my teeth before breakfast as a kid, but I got annoyed with the clumps of breakfast cereal. It didn’t seem to be a good iea to b leaving them there, so I switched to brushing after breakfast, and have done it ever since. My wife, dental professional, does the same, so I trust this procedure. Dosn’t make any sense the other way. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/6 "2000-07-02T02:40:21Z")
Time spent preparing and eating breakfast is precious minutes that I could better spend asleep. So I don’t have breakfast. I do brush my teeth in the mornings though. ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/7 "2000-07-02T04:02:06Z")
Maybe those folks who brush before breakfast are like me and wake up with morning mouth. I don’t want to eat or drink until I brush and my mouth feels clean. Yes, it does make sense to brush after breakfast too, but I’m always so rushed in the morning, and I usually just have juice and coffee. After lunch at work, I rinse my mouth out with water, don’t brush after dinner, do brush before bed. ---
**Author:** ![Steve-o](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@Steve-o](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve-o)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/8 "2000-07-02T04:44:47Z")
\… You dolts all have it wrong. This is not an “either or” issue. There is a third option that is the perfect compromise between the two viewpoints presented here. The real answer is… brush WHILE you eat. Instead of using a fork or spoon to shovel the food into your mouth, use your toothbrush. Each time you put the food into your mouth with the toothbrush, simply give a few of your teeth a good scrub. By the time you’re done eating, you’re done brushing. Quite simple really. I can’t believe that in this group of “smart” people, that no one has thought of this yet. Disappointing (morons). ---
**Author:** ![Mousseduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@Mousseduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mousseduck)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/9 "2000-07-02T05:11:03Z")
A friend of mine was staying with people who insisted on brushing teeth before breakfast. She argued that since they all brushed their teeth before bed as well there was no need to do that. Their reasoning was that you come to breakfast with nice smelling breath if you brush your teeth beforehand. I think their logic is a little odd. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/10 "2000-07-02T11:45:23Z")
I brush before my first cup of tea, without rinsing. I love the taste of mint and tea. I brush after to get rid of the granola chunks. ---
**Author:** ![Sn-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sn-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sn-man)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2000, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/11 "2000-07-03T03:04:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Maybe those folks who brush before breakfast are like me and wake up with morning mouth. I don’t want to eat or drink until I brush and my mouth feels clean. Yes, it does make sense to brush after breakfast too, but I’m always so rushed in the morning, and I usually just have juice and coffee. After lunch at work, I rinse my mouth out with water, don’t brush after dinner, do brush before bed. > \*\* I have to brush morning noon, and night. I have a brush and tooth paste at work. Sugar free gum help between. ---
**Author:** ![katana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/db5fbb/32.png) [@katana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katana)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2000, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/12 "2000-07-03T03:16:46Z")
Steve- O: HAHAHAHA ---
**Author:** ![yESTERDAY\_mAN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a87d85/32.png) [@yESTERDAY\_mAN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yESTERDAY_mAN)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2000, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/13 "2000-07-03T03:32:54Z")
I’m like Sycorax. I wake up with morning mouth, so I don’t feel like eating until I’ve brushed. I brush again right before I take a shower at night. ---
**Author:** ![Major\_Feelgud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Major\_Feelgud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Feelgud)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2000, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/14 "2000-07-03T07:53:14Z")
I brush my teeth without toothpaste before breakfast because of morning mouth. We literally have a mouthful of dead bacteria and cells in the morning. I floss and rinse after breakfast. After that I floss my teeth and brush after every meal. After every snack I floss and rinse my mouth out. I have floss in both my cars, at work, and at 3 places at home so I don’t have to get up to find my floss. And no, I don’t suffer from complusive obsessive behavior, I just hate going to the dentist. ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2000, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/15 "2000-07-03T22:45:04Z")
I was taught to brush my teeth before I ate. I think that there was some kind of logic about having a clean mouth before you ate. As I got older, I decided that didn’t make much sense, and started brushing after breakfast, preferable after I’m done my morning coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Wood\_Thrush](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b38774/32.png) [@Wood\_Thrush](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wood_Thrush)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2000, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/16 "2000-07-04T01:16:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lolagranola \* > \*\*I think that there was some kind of logic about having a clean mouth before you ate. > \*\* Flawed logic. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2000, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/17 "2000-07-04T09:21:44Z")
I grew up brushing my teeth before breakfast, because that’s my mom’s routine - Mom just can’t stand the feeling that her teeth are wearing little sweaters, so she brushes almost as soon as she gets up. After we got married, I realized that Mrs. ricepad brushed her teeth AFTER breakfast, so she didn’t have toothpasty-tasting OJ, eggs, or whatever. Besides, she reasoned, brushing after breakfast clears away all the detritus from said meal, whereas if you only brush before, you carry that stuff around in your mouth until the next brushing op. So after 25 years of brushing before breakfast, I switched to brushing after breakfast. Now, tho, I have to get up at an ungodly hour for work, so I generally skip breakfast anyway. ---
**Author:** ![wedgerat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@wedgerat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgerat)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2000, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-before-or-after-breakfast/24315/18 "2000-07-04T19:13:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lolagranola \* > \*\*I was taught to brush my teeth before I ate. I think that there was some kind of logic about having a clean mouth before you ate. > \*\* If you brush before you get rid of plaque and icky stuff on your teeth. I heard that this helps to prevent sugars and junk from breakfast from sticking to your teeth.