Restorative & Materials · patient case question
How long should a patient wait before brushing after consuming acidic food or drink?
Patient case: Wear, erosion and a burning mouth
demo: 31-year-old female
chief: Sensitive front teeth that look increasingly thin, and occasional pain that comes and goes.
history: She drinks four cans of soda daily and has a history she is reluctant to discuss regarding eating patterns. She is otherwise well.
meds: None.
findings: Marked erosion of the lingual surfaces of the maxillary teeth with intact buccal surfaces. Smooth, shiny, saucer-shaped cervical lesions on the buccal aspects of several premolars. Parotid regions appear full bilaterally.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. 30 to 60 minutes
- A. Correct as this question is keyed. Acid softens the enamel surface temporarily, and brushing during that window abrades away the softened layer. Waiting roughly 30 to 60 minutes lets salivary buffering restore the pH and allows some remineralisation. Rinsing with water or milk immediately after is helpful and carries no such risk.
- B. Ten minutes is still well within the softened window.
- C. Brushing immediately compounds the damage by mechanically removing softened enamel.
- D. Five minutes is far too short for the surface to reharden.
Note: Recommendations vary between 30 and 60 minutes across sources, and the recall listed 60 among its options. The examinable principle is the delay itself and the reason for it.
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