The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day. Your parents probably told you this. Your dentist has probably tried to hammer this point home a hundred times. We've definitely expressed this on our blog many, many times. In this post, we're going to help you understand why dental professionals and parents far and wide urge this practice.
Ever Have That Fuzzy Feeling in Your Mouth?
If you forget to brush your teeth, wake up, and they feel kind of fuzzy in the morning, that's a living biofilm caused by the microbial community that matured on your tooth enamel overnight. It's turning into plaque and producing acid, which further weakens tooth enamel. To slow this process, the film should be removed twice a day; doing so before bed will help you avoid that sensation in the morning and damage overnight when you're likely producing less saliva.
What to Do if You Forget to Brush Before Bed?
It's not the end of the world if you forget to brush your teeth before bed, but the ADA recommends upping your brushing time the morning after if you do. Spend a couple extra minutes cleaning your teeth to make sure all the plaque is removed.
It Doesn't Have to be Before Bed
If you are good about avoiding snacks before bed, it may be beneficial to brush your teeth a couple hours after you eat dinner. Some believe this can help the active ingredients in toothpaste have a little more time to do their magic. This can also be used as a way to avoid snacks before you go to bed if you're still sticking to your New Year's resolution and counting calories. You might not reach for a late night soda if you just brushed your teeth.
One of the reasons many dentists stress to brush teeth before bed is because it helps build a habit through routine. Good oral health is all about keeping routines and setting aside time to take care of your oral health. If you repeat a habit at a certain time, you're probably more likely to keep it.
Thanks for Reading!
We hope our post helps you keep that icky biofilm off your teeth so they stay strong and healthy. If you enjoy our blog posts, please tell a friend or like our Facebook page to see when we publish new posts.