Nighttime is regarded – in the wonderful world of dentistry – as one of the most important times of your entire 24-hour day where your mouth should be addressed. The reason why is because a ton of potentially bad things could happen in the 8 hours you spend sleeping. So we’re going to let you in on the best nighttime oral care tips that will allow your mouth to rest comfortably for 8 hours as well.
Nighttime Oral Care Tips by Irvine Dentist
1. Avoid consuming food 2 hours before you lay to rest
This one many people struggle with because it’s hard to resist that urge to stuff your face with ice cream at 10’ o’clock. Trust us, we understand, but we value the health of our teeth so we make disciplined decisions that we know are for the better of our health. Do yourself and your teeth a favor and skip on the ice cream just before bed. You can still eat ice cream, just give yourself 2 hours in advance and you shouldn’t have an issue.
2. Brush & floss right before bed
We strongly encourage you to make a habit of making brushing & flossing the very last thing you do as part of your day just before you hit the sack. This way you clear your mouth of all the accumulated debris, food particles, etc. that are stuck in between your teeth and rest at the gum line.
The issue is when you don’t clear this debris, and then it sits in your mouth all night where bacteria feed on and begin to create decay on your teeth. That’s why it’s vital for you to remove the debris every night so that bacteria have nothing to feed on.
3. Top it off with mouth rinse
Mouthwash isn’t necessary, but it’s great way to leave your mouth feeling nice and refreshed just before bedtime and the chemicals used in mouthwash can create a barrier of defense on your teeth and gums in the prevention of tooth decay.
4. Stay aware of the possibility of teeth grinding
This one can be tough because many people who suffer from teeth grinding do so when they are deep asleep and have no idea they are even committing this act. If you spot signs such as slightly worn tooth enamel, abnormal tooth sensitivity, or torn cheek tissue, then you are most likely grinding your teeth at night and will be a good candidate for an oral mouth guard to wear while you sleep.
We’ll leave you with an analogy – think of your teeth as plants. Plants need sunlight in order to survive, other they begin to wilt and die off. Teeth are similar in this regard in that they need to be brushed, flossed, and taken care of otherwise they too will decay and if severe enough, die and fall out. Brushing, flossing, and visiting your Irvine dentist are the sunlight that teeth need in order to thrive.