# Might be kind of gross: how your teeth feel after you barf **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 14, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-kind-of-gross-how-your-teeth-feel-after-you-barf/510079 "2009-09-14T20:36:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-kind-of-gross-how-your-teeth-feel-after-you-barf/510079/1 "2009-09-14T20:36:28Z")
Anyone ever throw up and then notice there’s kind of a gritty feeling in your teeth? I alway assumed that was because of the acidity of one’s stomach contents: is that correct? The reason it comes to mind is that I had a certain Taiwanese noodle dish with a kind of heavy, spicy sauce and afterward my teeth had exactly the same feeling–I was wondering if the sauce was highly acidic as well. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-kind-of-gross-how-your-teeth-feel-after-you-barf/510079/2 "2009-09-14T20:52:13Z")
Could be. Rhubarb has a similar effect. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-kind-of-gross-how-your-teeth-feel-after-you-barf/510079/3 "2009-09-14T21:33:58Z")
Rhubarb is pretty acidic, but I have a feeling it’s less to do with how much acid and more to do with what kind. I always rinse my mouth with water or brush my teeth right after I barf so I’ve never experienced this. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-kind-of-gross-how-your-teeth-feel-after-you-barf/510079/4 "2009-09-14T23:15:49Z")
acids are sour, if the noodle sauce is sour it could be acidic. soft drinks can contain carbonic acid and citric acid. how do your teeth feel drinking that? ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-kind-of-gross-how-your-teeth-feel-after-you-barf/510079/5 "2009-09-15T00:16:43Z")
Acids will do that to your teeth. I get that feeling whenever I eat lemons. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-kind-of-gross-how-your-teeth-feel-after-you-barf/510079/6 "2009-09-15T00:24:49Z")
My teeth always squeaky and raw feeling. Not quite gritty per se. But I’m fast on the brushing, too. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/might-be-kind-of-gross-how-your-teeth-feel-after-you-barf/510079/7 "2009-09-15T01:34:02Z")
Actually, you should never brush your teeth immediately after vomiting or eating/drinking something acidic. You’re essentially scrubbing the acid into your teeth. Best bet is to chew some gum or rinse with water or mouthwash.