Toothbrush or apple?
Toothbrush or apple?
Popular wisdom says that an apple cleans the teeth as well as a brush and toothpaste. This is an exaggeration but it’s not absolutely wrong.
As frequently happens, the traditional wisdom of using an apple as a replacement for brushing does have a grain of truth in it. In fact, this fruit not only has vitamin C, but it also contains many health-giving minerals. And, chewing an apple after a meal really does remove superficial deposits from the teeth.
Abrasive effect
Other crunchy fruit and vegetables, for example celery or carrots, act like mini-toothbrushes when chewed. The pieces of fruit or vegetable are abrasive and help remove plaque and slight, superficial discolorations. This cleaning effect can even be noticed with the naked eye, even if only slight.
Fruit acid attacks tooth enamel
However, food residue and bacteria cannot be removed from the tricky areas along the gum line either with an apple or a carrot. Fruit and vegetables are best used as interim solutions – as first reserves in the cleaning team. They cannot replace regular brushing.
On the contrary, apples contain acids that change the saliva, attacking tooth enamel as a result. The fruit acid in apples is a welcome breeding ground for caries bacteria; the acid created damages teeth.
If sugar and acid remain on the teeth, the positive effect of eating an apple is lost. So, if the abrasive, cleaning effect of an apple is to be used, only reach for your toothbrush and toothpaste 30 to 60 minutes after eating the apple.
Focus on the gum line
The gum line is particularly difficult to clean. Bacteria accumulate particularly rapidly in this groove between tooth and gum, become structured and form plaque. An apple is unsuitable for cleaning here. In contrast, a toothbrush with soft bristles like a CURAPROX CS 5460 ultra soft reaches the gum line easily and without pressure.
So keep your apple and carrot as a culinary enjoyment instead of for dental hygienic reasons.
