It is a debate that has existed since the dawn of dental care itself, and pretty much every single person a dentist talks to will have asked them at some point about when they should brush their teeth.
The consensus is clear about brushing your teeth right before going to bed, but the consensus is far less clear about the other time you should brush your teeth, with many people arguing about which side of breakfast it should take place.
Most people tend to wake up, have their breakfast and brush their teeth afterwards, particularly for people who have fairly tight schedules.
These people feel like they benefit from a fresher-feeling mouth and do not have to deal with the rather unpleasant taste you can experience when citrus juices meet fluoride toothpaste.
However, not only is brushing after breakfast less helpful than you may realise, but it can also potentially cause more damage to your teeth.
Given that breakfast dishes tend to be filled with sugars and naturally occurring acids, brushing immediately after your breakfast can spread these acids around and potentially cause more damage to the enamel.
By contrast, brushing before breakfast immediately gets rid of the bacteria build-up in your mouth, helps your mouth feel fresher, increases saliva production and creates a fluoride barrier that protects your teeth.
After a glass of water and a few minutes, you can enjoy breakfast without that minty-fresh aftertaste.
If you must brush after breakfast, try to wait at least half an hour and either chew sugar-free gum or drink a glass of water before brushing.
It must be said that whilst there is a better and worse way, brushing your teeth twice a day irrespective of time is still better than only brushing once or not at all if you do not have the time to wait.