Dentist reveals morning routine – including controversial move: ‘Worst thing you can do’

She’s sharing her morning workout.

UK dental surgeon Shaadi Manouchehri has revealed her three-step routine for good oral hygiene – brushing your teeth before breakfast, scraping your tongue twice a day and using mouthwash before brushing.

“I’ve been a dentist for almost 10 years and it took me so long to perfect this, and I feel like I have it down to a T,” Manouchehri wrote in a TikTok last month that has nearly 20,000 views.

Brush your teeth after waking up

“The first thing I do when I wake up is brush my teeth and then eat breakfast,” Manouchehri said.

“If you do it the other way around, you can damage your teeth and gums and you’re more likely to get cavities because overnight, the bacteria in your mouth will multiply,” she explained. “If you eat right away, it will be really harmful, so you have to wash beforehand.”

Other dental experts agree – in addition to immediately removing harmful bacteria, brushing your teeth before breakfast can help increase saliva production to aid digestion.

“Saliva helps break down food and wash away bacteria that might otherwise remain in your mouth,” noted Aveni Dental Professionals of Plymouth, Massachusetts, in a blog post about the benefits of brushing before breakfast.

Brushing before breakfast also protects teeth from harmful acids in food and drink and ensures fresh breath to start the day.

If you choose to brush after breakfast, wait 30 minutes to give your enamel time to re-mineralize and harden after exposure to acidic foods. You can drink water to start this process.

Brush your tongue twice a day

“I will use a copper tongue scraper every morning and every night to scrape my tongue,” Manouchehri said.

Wiping your tongue removes bacteria build-up and prevents bad breath. Manouchehri prefers a copper tool because copper has antibacterial properties, and the scraper can be washed and reused.

A bonus? “I enjoy things a little bit better, too,” Manouchehri said.

Use mouthwash before brushing

The Mayo Clinic recommends using mouthwash after brushing and flossing, but Manouchehri advocates rinsing with mouthwash beforehand.

“This is to make sure the bacteria and debris in the mouth is removed, and then you go and brush and floss,” Manouchehri reasoned.

“I used mouthwash after brushing my teeth and that’s the worst thing you can do,” she continued. “If you use mouthwash immediately afterwards, this means that the protective layer of fluoride is washed away [the toothpaste provides]and will make your teeth more susceptible to tooth decay.”

But Dr. Marc Lowenberg, a cosmetic dentist in Manhattan, argues that rinsing after brushing and flossing is best.

“The proven routine to keep your mouth and gums healthier is to floss, brush and then floss,” he told First For Women magazine last year. “Brushing and flossing removes plaque, and rinsing your mouth helps wash it away.”

Lowenberg recommends flossing, brushing for two minutes, waiting about 30 minutes, and then rinsing with mouthwash for 30 seconds to a minute.