I woke this morning, and for the first time in a long time, my bedroom was dark at 6:30! OK, I get it now, summer is officially over. Actually, hold on, what summer? You can't call that a summer. So I will rephrase, Autumn is here – Autumn's predecessor – whatever you want to call it – is officially over! So, there are a lot of changes, the days are shorter, the temperature has dropped, scattering of showers, leaves are falling, the tubes are more packed, the phone at the Dental Spa is ringing a lot more. Yes, Summer (I concede) is over!

So my task today was to compile an 'end of Summer to do list'. Somewhere near the top of my to do list which is as long as my arm, is task 17. Update blog page. I log onto my blog page – last entry – June 13 2011. I calculate, hang on, I have been AWOL from my own blog page for more than three months. So what is my excuse? I was too busy having a fun summer! As much as I complained and moaned about the summer, or lack there of, reflection shows and proves that I was having a fun time! All the barbeques, music festivals, summer city breaks, weddings, picnics, long summer evenings dining al fresco! So now, it is time to buckle down, kids are back at school, and so am I – back to the drawing board.

So I will start off my Autumnal blogs with a debate – do you brush your teeth before or after you have had your breakfast? When I ask my patients, it is amazing how the responses I get are 50/50.

Here are my thoughts and what I routinely advise:

I always advise it is best to brush our teeth after breakfast. This is important, as after you have had your breakfast, certain foods and bacteria will settle on your teeth.
Imagine this – You have just brushed your teeth, then you eat your cereal. The bits of food from your cereal will settle on your teeth for the whole day until you next brush, which, for most, is in the evening before they go to bed. The combination of the plaque and bacteria will release acids which can then cause tooth decay, and the accumulation of bacteria on your gums over long periods of time may contribute to the development of gum disease.
Brushing soon after breakfast will ensure there is less plaque and bacteria on your teeth throughout the day.
If you have a fruit juice or eat plenty of fruits for breakfast, I advise to brush no less than after 30 minutes after. Fruits and fruit juices are acidic and weaken the enamel. Brushing soon after consuming these could potentially harm your enamel.

I also advise gentle brushing after lunch to help reduce the chances of this build of plaque and bacteria. If you are a frequent tooth brusher, please do make sure to use a soft bristled toothbrush or an electric toothbrush as overzealous brushing can lead to abrasion to the teeth or recession of the gums. For this reason, I advise my patient to brush no more than three times per day.