'Brushing too soon after meals can damage your teeth'

It's recommended that one should brush and floss at least twice a day, but many people do it more often -- after meals, snacks or sugary drinks.

"Research shows that brushing too soon after meals and drinks, especially those that are acidic, can do more harm than good," said Dr Howard Gamble, president of the Academy of General Dentistry in the US.

After drinking fizzy or acidic drinks, the acid burns into the enamel of your teeth and the layer below the enamel, called "dentin".

"Brushing can accelerate this process. With brushing, you could actually push the acid deeper into the enamel and the dentin," Dr Gamble told the New York Times.

In one study, Dr Gamble cited, a group of volunteers were followed for three weeks as researchers examined the impact of brushing on their teeth after they drank diet soda.

The scientists found an increase in dentin loss when brushing in the 20 minutes after drinking soda. But there was considerably less wear when brushing took place 30 or 60 minutes afterward.

"It is concluded that for protection of dentin surfaces, at least 30 minutes should elapse before tooth brushing after an erosive attack," the dentist said.

In the meantime, to get rid of acid, Dr Gamble suggested rinsing the mouth out with water or using an acid-neutralising mixture, such as one part baking soda, eight parts water.