Why Do My Teeth Feel 'Filmy'?

There’s nothing like running your tongue over clean teeth. It’s like seeing the sun reflect off a completely clean car, or picking up squeaky clean dishes. In a word, it’s satisfying.

But, if you run your tongue over your teeth now, do you get that satisfying feeling, or is there a hint of film, or fuzziness on your teeth?

Unless you’ve recently gotten a dental cleaning, or you brush and floss after every meal (rinsing with mouth wash for good measure) chances are, your teeth don’t feel as slick or clean as they used to. That’s because as we eat and use our mouths, a natural build-up occurs over time.

To help you understand what’s happening, we’ll cover the three main reasons why your teeth may not feel as clean as you want them to.

Your last meal

If you eat a lot of candy and don’t brush your teeth, that will have negative effects on your oral health, including the feeling of ‘fuzz’ on your teeth.

However, it’s not just those unhealthy treats that can create that uncomfortable feeling. If, for example, you’ve just finished a spinach salad, your teeth may immediately feel a little fuzzy. That’s because spinach is high in oxalic acid, which makes your teeth feel rough. Other foods that are high in oxalic acid include beets, rhubarb and kale.

That list includes some real superfoods, so we wouldn’t recommend avoiding any of those. Instead, do your best to include ingredients high in vitamin C into meals (that also include any of the foods on that list), or simply pull out your toothbrush and give them a quick scrub.

Dry mouth

Saliva is more than just a lubricant for your mouth, it’s there to help clean your teeth and gums to ensure they stay healthy.

But, if you’re suffering from dry mouth, not only are pieces of food more likely to stay in between your teeth, your teeth are also going to stick to the soft tissue in your mouth, like your cheeks and tongue.

The best solution for dry mouth is to drink more water. Not only will that help saliva production, but it brings a whole lot of benefits to your mouth and gums. If you increase your water consumption and it still doesn’t alleviate the issue, talk to your dentist to see how they can help.

Plaque

Maintaining your oral health requires multiple steps, from the simple, like brushing and flossing, to the more intensive, like your bi-annual visit to the dentist for a teeth cleaning. If you skip steps, it’s easy for plaque and tartar to build up more quickly than we anticipate, leading to perpetually ‘fuzzy’ feeling teeth.

The quickest way to combat plaque is to book a cleaning with your dental hygienist. Afterwards, your teeth will feel squeaky clean. Then, make sure to brush and floss regularly, while avoiding excess sugar.