Four Habits Before Bed for Healthier Teeth

If you go to bed without brushing your teeth or using mouthwash, you are putting your teeth at risk because bacteria will form on the particles of food you ate during the day, which can eventually lead to tooth decay. If you want to have healthier teeth and avoid gum disease, follow these tips before going to bed every night.

1. Brush your teeth before bedtime

This goes without saying. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day, so make sure you brush them when you wake up and before you go to bed. If you usually only brush in the mornings, bacteria and plaque form on your teeth and stay there until the next day.

Brushing every night removes all the accumulated buildup from the food you ate during the day, helping to prevent gum disease and tooth decay. If you want to be thorough, you can brush your teeth after dinner and brush them again before going to bed.

2. Floss

Flossing before going to bed is a great way to remove the food particles that get stuck between your teeth that your brush usually cannot reach. If you don’t floss after brushing, the debris from the food you ate during the day will lead to an increase in bacteria, which will feed off the debris while you sleep.

Not flossing before going to bed also allows the plaque in your mouth to harden and turn into tartar, which can only be removed by your dentist when you go in for a professional cleaning. If you are susceptible to gum disease, dentists recommend you floss at least twice a day.

3. Use mouthwash

Brushing your teeth and flossing is just part the work you have to do to keep your teeth and gums healthy before going to bed. You should also make sure you rinse your mouth with mouthwash after you brush and floss because it contains ingredients that help strengthen your teeth and also treat some oral conditions.

Using mouthwash before going to bed also helps to prevent gingivitis and plaque buildup. However, there are certain mouthwashes designed just to keep your breath fresh, so talk to your dentist to find out which mouthwash is best for protecting your mouth from oral diseases.

4. Avoid grinding your teeth

A lot of people grind their teeth while they sleep, which is harmful to your teeth because it wears them down, increasing the teeth’s sensitivity and damaging your enamel. Teeth grinding is difficult to stop, but you can protect your teeth by using a mouth guard.

You can ask your dentist to create a mouth guard for you to help you stop grinding your teeth while you sleep. You can also buy your mouth guard at a pharmacy, but it likely won’t fit perfectly in your mouth, which can make it difficult to use when you go to bed.

Conclusion

Having good oral hygiene is important if you want to have healthier teeth and gums, which is why you should make sure you brush your teeth before going to bed every night. These tips will help you get started on taking better care of your teeth.

Request an appointment here: or call Gilroy Dental Associates at (408) 842-2818 for an appointment in our Gilroy office.