What you decide to eat often depends on the food combination and how well it goes with your taste buds. For example, you may find bread going well with peanut butter, jam, or a fried egg. However, if you’ve tried drinking orange juice after brushing, you probably found it nasty.
Understanding the Difference Between Flavor and Taste
When it comes to taste, there are many categories, ranging from bitter, umami, sweet, salty, and sour. While all tastes are different, they work together to produce a wide range of flavors. The flavor is influenced by temperature, consistency, smell, and texture, which impact your taste experience.
Which Ingredient is to Blame for Sour Tasting OJ?
The strange taste you experience when you drink orange juice after brushing your teeth results from the main ingredient in toothpaste known as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). SLS is responsible for creating a foamy texture.
One of the characteristics of SLS is preventing one’s sweet taste buds from performing. As you brush your teeth, SLS destroys the fat in your taste buds responsible for sensing bitter tastes, and in the process, it also conceals sweetness from orange juice, causing a bitter, unpleasant taste.
Prevent the Bad Taste of OJ and Toothpaste
At Premier Dental Center San Antonio, we recommend trying an SLS-free toothpaste, chewing gum, or drinking water to wash away SLS. Keep in mind, drinking OJ right before or after brushing can lead to corroded enamel so it’s best to hold off on consumption for at least 30 minutes!
Keep your smile healthy by booking an appointment at our San Antonio dental office today.