Words of Wisdom No.9: “Brush Your Teeth When You First Get Out of Bed and Before You Get Back In at Night“
Your mother may have spouted these words often when you were a child fighting the normal bedtime routine. Yet, this simple phrase carries a lot of truth. The American Dental Association recommends everyone brush twice daily to prevent tooth decay, even if you wear Invisalign braces.
What Does Brushing Do?
There has long been debate about how often people absolutely need to brush, but twice daily seems to be the most recommended. Brushing your teeth helps disrupt the attachment of bad bacteria to the natural biofilm that the good bacteria in your mouth create. When bad bacteria settle onto your teeth, they start releasing acids that can eat away at your tooth enamel and result in a cavity. According to Tufts Journal, it takes about 48 hours for the bad bacteria to form colonies big enough to damage your teeth. Theoretically, you could get away with brushing once daily as long as you did it consistently and correctly.
Why Brush Twice Daily?
If you aren’t a very good brusher, a twice daily cleaning builds a little redundancy into your hygiene routine to protect your teeth. We’ve all been there. You go to bed late. You’re tired and don’t feel like brushing for the full two minutes. Or you wake up late for work and have to dash. The twice daily routine gives you a greater chance of removing bacterial colonies that you may have missed in the previous brushing.
Other Perks
Giving your teeth a cleaning in the morning also improves your breath and the feeling in your mouth. No one likes going through the day with furry teeth. Brushing and flossing at night also removes stuck food particles, especially if you wear braces.
Call Papandreas Orthodontics to Schedule Your First Orthodontic Appointment
Dr. Samuel Papandreas provides expert orthodontic care for adults, teenagers and children at his facilities in:
• Brunswick, Ohio
• North Royalton, Ohio
His patients are fitted with customized orthodontic devices that include:
• Braces – color-matching ceramic or metal devices
• Retainers – worn at night when your braces are removed
• Invisalign aligners – clear plastic devices
• Palatal expanders – worn before your orthodontic treatment begins
You can schedule an appointment with Papandreas Orthodontics to learn about the best type of orthodontic treatment for you and your children to improve your smile correct your dental bite.
Papandreas Orthodontics
3511 Center Road, Suite B
Brunswick, OH 44212
tel: 330-558-9092
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14200 Ridge Rd
North Royalton, OH 44133
tel: 440-582-8585