Do you know what the most important part of good oral hygiene is? Seeing your dentist or daily oral hygiene care? You guessed it! The single most important thing you can do for your oral health is to do daily routine brushing and flossing to prevent tooth decay.
Brushing twice a day, both morning and night, is the best defense against the bacteria that erode tooth enamel. Most people brush their teeth in the morning when they get up but may forget in the evening before bedtime. Taking a few minutes in the evening to do this will help to keep your smile beautiful, and Dr. Robert Gauthier in Worcester, MA is here to help you improve your nighttime oral hygiene routine.
1. Learn how to brush and floss correctly
An important step in keeping your mouth healthy is to brush and floss every day. But you could be doing more harm than good if you are doing it incorrectly. Be sure to use a toothbrush with soft bristles along with toothpaste that is ADA-approved. Brush your teeth gently, using circular motions. Don’t forget to brush behind the teeth as well. Use dental floss between the teeth to remove any food particles that may have gotten lodged between the teeth.
2. Floss before bed
The best time to floss is before bedtime. Bacteria feed off the food particles left behind after eating and will form plaque in the right environment. Sleeping provides the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, and add in some food particles left behind from eating all day and you have the perfect storm for plaque to form. Dr. Gauthier would love for his patients to floss twice a day but realizes that many don’t or are unable to do that so if you have to choose between a morning and nighttime routine for flossing, do it before bedtime. This will help to remove most of the food that bacteria feed on and keep plaque from building up.
3. Use an electric toothbrush
An electric toothbrush is a nice “luxury” to have for brushing your teeth. While not necessary, it may be the incentive for some people to meet their nighttime oral hygiene goals. An electric toothbrush has powerful brushing movements that is more effective than brushing your teeth the “old-fashioned” way. If you want to make your nighttime easier and something to look forward to, then perhaps the small investment in an electric toothbrush is something that you may benefit from.
4. Make sure you don’t grind your teeth
If you wake up with a sore jaw in the morning, or maybe your jaw or neck is sore and tense throughout the day, then you may be grinding your teeth or bruxism as it is called. If this is not addressed properly, it could lead to damage to your teeth. Your dentist can talk to you and perhaps fit you with a mouth guard to use while you are sleeping.
Promoting Healthy Smiles in Worcester, MA
By protecting your teeth at night, you will help keep those pearly whites beautiful for a lifetime. Not only should you see Dr. Gauthier regularly, but make sure you don’t neglect your nighttime oral hygiene routine. Please contact our office in Worcester, MA at (508) 687-6579 to make an appointment or schedule online.