Don’t avoid brushing your teeth at night. It takes only two minutes of good brushing to destroy bacteria that would otherwise grow in your mouth while you sleep.
Do you brush your teeth after breakfast and before bedtime? Ideally, you should brush your teeth 30-minutes after each meal but never less than twice a day. And if you’re not brushing your teeth twice a day, let me encourage you to do so with the following information.
Why Brushing Your Teeth Twice Each Day is So Important
When you don’t brush your teeth twice in a 24-hour period, bacteria that would have been destroyed by brushing simply isn’t. And hey, it only takes two minutes of brushing your teeth to destroy that nasty, cavity-causing goop. So there’s really no good excuse for not brushing twice a day.
But skipping brushing after eating dinner and before you hit the hay makes you more vulnerable to poor oral health. Really. Why? Because the production of saliva decreases while you’re sleeping. That means the nasty, cavity-causing goop can and will easily grow in your mouth at night.
Saliva Plays a Very Important Role
Saliva is your mouth’s natural defense against bacteria. It’s an amazing thing!
- It contains anti-bacterial properties. Bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate help your mouth destroy plaque and repair damage and decay on your teeth
- Saliva neutralizes the level of acid in your mouth and protects your mouth by maintaining the ideal pH balance for healthy teeth
- Your spit washes away particles of food
Not Brushing Your Teeth is Just Gross
Flat out, if you’re not brushing your teeth at least twice a day, you’re asking for major trouble in the long run. It’s more harmful than you think.
The bacteria that isn’t destroyed with a good two-minute brushing stays in your mouth and cultivates plaque. Every time you eat, the bacteria that naturally reside in your mouth feast on what you eat. All living organisms excrete waste after a meal, bacteria in your mouth included. (So going to bed without brushing is like going to bed with poop in your mouth. Yuck!) This waste is highly acidic and breaks down tooth enamel, causing root decay and cavities.
Plaque and Tartar are Ugly Troublemakers
Plaque is a sticky, fuzzy substance that grows on your teeth. You can feel it when you slide your tongue over your teeth when you haven’t brushed in a while. Ewww! The plaque produced by bacteria left in your mouth builds up and matures because it’s alive! And it only takes about 24 hours for this to happen.
When plaque isn’t destroyed by brushing your teeth for a good two minutes, it stays on your teeth and calcifies. Then it becomes harder, rougher, and turns even yellower. Now you have ugly tartar growing on your teeth. And once that nasty fuzzy substance turns into tartar, it can only be removed by your dental hygienist.
It Gets Worse
As you continue to skip brushing, this ugly stuff called tartar continues to grow. And things get worse. Your immune system responds to the plaque and tartar buildup as infection in your gums. And now the risk of gum loss and tooth loss becomes a reality.
Inflammation is a good thing. But chronic inflammation isn’t and causes damage long term. Studies have shown that every kind of chronic inflammation puts extreme wear and tear on the body. They have linked chronic inflammation in the mouth to hearing loss, dementia, and heart disease, too.
Be Proactive About Brushing Your Teeth
Do yourself a favor. Prevent the buildup of plaque, gum disease, bleeding, inflammation, cavities and eventually tooth loss in the first place. Brush your teeth twice a day, especially before going to sleep. Make sure you go to sleep without bacteria, and the food they feed on, in your mouth. (Don’t forget to floss to get the bacteria that lurk between your teeth). And make sure you schedule regular dental cleanings with our office every six months to get rid of tartar on your teeth.
And whenever you’re tempted to go to sleep without brushing your teeth, slide your tongue over your teeth. Think about that nasty, fuzzy substance that will grow and mature in your mouth while you’re asleep. Then, get up and proactively destroy bacteria before it produces plaque and tartar.
Are you brushing your teeth at least twice a day and visiting Davis Dental at least twice a year? It’s the best way to care for your teeth and overall health long term. Call Davis Dental at (307) 634-3488 to schedule your dental checkups today.
Quality Dental Care for Your Whole Family
3249 Sparks Road
Cheyenne, WY 82001
(307) 634-3488
Open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
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