One dental product everyone needs is toothpaste, and in combination with a toothbrush is both the lowest costing and most important part of any dental care routine.

However, one mistake that so many people make when it comes to teeth cleaning routines is taking a drink not long enough after brushing for two minutes, only to find that it makes certain foods and drinks taste very different.

The common story is people brushing their teeth, taking a swig of orange juice and immediately regretting it as it creates a rather unpleasant mix of taste sensations that are both bitter and sour at the same time. 

The best way to describe the taste is that it tastes like oranges that have gone mouldy, although the taste can vary depending on the fruit juice in question.

The reason for the change in taste is due to a range of different factors owing to the ingredients used in most common kinds of toothpaste.

One of the main culprits is sodium lauryl sulphate, a surfactant that causes toothpaste to “foam” whilst you are brushing.

It inhibits the sweet taste receptors on your tongue, making food taste bitter instead, although this can enhance other flavours such as apples for the same reason.

Another theory is in the mint flavouring many toothpastes use. A lot of toothpastes use menthol, which provides that cooling, refreshing taste that is associated with but largely unrelated to clean teeth.

The taste, which is also a fundamental part of peppermint oil, can affect the taste of certain foods and drinks you consume whilst the menthol is still in effect, which in turn affects how certain foods taste.

This is also a reason why drinking citrus fruit juices with breath mints can also lead to a rather unpleasant aftertaste.

It is actually an unintentionally beneficial feature, as waiting for 20-30 minutes for the effect to wear off can also help protect your teeth when they are in a vulnerable state post-brushing.