Did you brush your teeth this morning?
Do you plan on scrubbing those chompers tonight?
A regular dentist appointment isn’t always the most appealing task, but the results of these visits depend entirely on how you go about brushing and flossing your teeth.
Sure, what you eat and even how much you exercise has a direct effect on the quality of your teeth, but the tried-and-true brushing and flossing routine is your best bet for keeping those dentist bills down and your pearly whites, well, pearly white.
The methods and tools for brushing and flossing your teeth play a huge role in protection and cleaning, but did you know that the timing plays a factor as well?
Many people brush and floss at the same times everyday, but are these times beneficial? Others just randomly brush and floss, and this needs to be changed. Keep reading to learn about the best times to brush and floss your teeth.
How Often You Should Brush and Floss Your Teeth
Frequency plays into timing, so we want to share how often you should brush and floss your teeth.
The American Dental Association states that every person should floss once per day. Flossing less leads to items getting stuck in your teeth while you sleep and walk around during the day. These items lead to cavities and tooth decay.
Should you floss more than this if you can? The verdict is still out on this, but most figure this might be a little overkill. You can start agitating your gums if you floss too much, and flossing after consuming acidic foods or drinks increases problems.
Brushing is another story. Dental professionals recommend that you brush at least twice per day to break down the sticky biofilm (plaque) that builds up after meals. This film contains harmful bacteria that hurts your teeth by releasing acid. Brushing at least twice per day breaks through that film and cleans away bacteria.
What Time of the Day Should You Brush Your Teeth?
Once you start brushing at least two times per day you must figure out the proper timing. Do you simply brush in the morning and right before you go to bed?
The best time to brush is 30 minutes after a meal. Since food and drink releases acid and bacteria that breaks down your tooth enamel you want to brush those away so they don’t sit in your teeth for a few hours.
Brushing after a meal also invigorates your salivary glands which has been shown to assist in protecting your teeth.
Consider brushing right after breakfast, right after lunch and right after dinner. If you choose to only brush twice per day, opt for breakfast and dinner because it helps to brush away bacteria build-up from your sleep, and you don’t want food to be sitting in your teeth throughout the night.
Pro Tip: If you eat a meal with particularly acidic food or drink, wait at least thirty minutes before brushing, since the combination of high acidity and brushing hurts your tooth enamel even more.
What Time of the Day Should You Floss?
Since we concluded you should floss once a day, what time is the best? Most dentists recommend opting for after dinner, since you salivate less while sleeping. Since less saliva is present you have a higher chance of bacteria eating away at your teeth.
Anything you can do to prevent decay at night is your best bet.
So, how does your current routine compare with the ideal times to brush and floss your teeth? Share your thoughts in the comments section and let us know if you have any questions.
About Island Coast Dentistry
Island Coast Dentistry handles your oral health care from General Dentistry and Fillings to Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Implants, Teeth Whitening, Bruxism Devices, Invisalign, and Veneers, Dr. Skupny is equipped to handle all your dental needs.
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