Everyone knows about the importance of a regular dental care routine in the morning, but it’s also vital to brush them at night, too. In fact, allowing your teeth to go unbrushed at night allows the growth of more bacteria, which is a good way to develop gum disease, tooth decay, and bad breath. Fortunately, we’re here to help you discover an oral care routine that will help keep your mouth free of cavities and other tooth-related issues.
1. Understanding the Basics of Oral Care
The core elements of a dental hygiene routine include brushing, flossing, and rinsing. Although these things might seem simple, you must do them correctly to receive all their benefits. Additionally, there are a few other tips for oral hygiene that you should focus on, including:
- Drinking water
- Avoiding sugary soda
- Eating well
- Steering clear of tobacco
- Regularly replacing your toothbrush
- Seeing the dentist at least once a year
- Brushing your tongue
Daily and nightly oral care are the best ways to ensure healthy gums and teeth. Furthermore, they can help you avoid health risks such as diabetes and heart disease. Remember to always brush your teeth a minimum of two times per day.
2. Step-by-Step Guide to a Solid Nightly Routine
Now that we’ve given you an overview, it’s time to look more closely at each critical aspect of your dental routine. Although this section is for night care, you can also duplicate it for your morning routine as well.
Step 1: Brushing Techniques
There are several different types of toothbrushes available, so how can you select the right one? First off, don’t be fooled by the various levels of hardness. Instead, choose a soft-bristled toothbrush and ignore the rest. This applies to manual and electric toothbrushes and is the best advice for almost everyone. Your dentist will let you know if you have a specific reason to need a medium or hard toothbrush.
Secondly, ensure your chosen toothbrush has the Australian Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Approval. Next up is the size of your toothbrush. Again, there are several sizes available, but you should select a small-headed brush. This will make it easier to reach all areas of your mouth. Other things such as the handle and color are up to you!
Picking the right toothpaste is equally important. Again, make sure it has the ADA Seal of Approval. Additionally, look for toothpaste that contains fluoride. If you’ve ever looked up ‘how to prevent cavities,’ then you should already know that fluoride provides the best level of protection against tooth decay, plus it strengthens your tooth enamel.
The last consideration will be about your personal needs. For example, if you have problems with sensitive teeth, you may want to purchase sensitivity toothpaste. Tartar control toothpaste can help you prevent gum disease, and whitening toothpaste can give you a brighter smile.
Now that we’ve gotten the selection process out of the way, let’s talk about using proper brushing techniques.
- Use short strokes
- Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle
- Be gentle
- Brush all surfaces, including the underside of your teeth
- Brush your tongue
- Brush for a minimum of two minutes at least twice a day
Step 2: Flossing for Deep Cleaning
Flossing is one of the top healthy teeth tips. After all, floss enables you to reach and remove food particles and plaque that your toothbrush can’t get to. Doing it correctly takes training and practice, though, so don’t feel bad if you still have things to learn. Incorporate the following steps into your oral care routine, and your teeth will thank you!
- Use 18 inches of floss
- Wrap the floss around both of your middle fingers
- Tightly hold on to the floss with your forefingers and thumbs
- Use a rubbing motion to guide the floss between your teeth
- Be sure to make a ‘C’ shape by curving your floss around each tooth
- Rub the floss against the side of each tooth by using an up and down motion
- The floss should slip beneath the edges of your gums
- Don’t forget to floss your back molars by looping your floss around them
- Flossing should be completed at least once per day
If you’re looking for an easier way to floss, you could invest in a water flosser. These electronic flossers are intended to give the same level of cleanliness that you can expect from regular floss.
Alternatively, you could pick up some floss picks, which are meant to make flossing easier. For example, the soft picks with the little brushes on the end clean the gums extremely well. However, they’re also a little more expensive than standard floss.
Step 3: Rinsing with Mouthwash
Choosing an antibacterial mouthwash offers several benefits, including fresher breath, reduced gum inflammation, reduced tooth decay, and preventing gum disease. It’s also a good way to help mouth infections heal faster. One thing to be aware of, though, is that overuse might lead to tooth discoloration.
It’s also important to consider whether you want your mouthwash to have alcohol or be alcohol-free. Let’s take a quick look at both.
Alcohol-based
Alcohol is an inactive ingredient in mouthwash, but it acts as a carrier for some of the active ingredients. This type of mouthwash prevents dental decay, controls gingivitis and plaque, and reduces bad breath. Unfortunately, alcohol-based mouthwashes can be harsh on gums.
For example, some people experience a burning sensation or pain in their mouth with alcohol-based mouthwashes, especially if they have sensitive gums. Other issues associated with alcohol based mouthwash include:
- Damaged Tooth Enamel: Alcohol is acidic and can break down enamel.
- Drying the Mouth: Alcohol dries out the mouth, making it harder for your saliva to combat bacteria.
- Dental Adhesive Damage: Alcohol can degrade dental adhesives such as crowns, bridges, and even veneers prematurely.
- Ulcer Formation: The harshness of alcohol can cause oral ulcers to form.
- Oral Cancer Risk: Tumors can grow in acidic environments caused by alcohol.
- Exacerbated Health Conditions: Alcohol-based mouthwashes should not be used if you have diabetes or a low flow of saliva, as it can make these conditions worse.
Alcohol-free Mouthwash
Alcohol-free mouthwash offers antimicrobial properties, which will help you avoid bad breath. Alcohol-free mouthwash offers antimicrobial properties, which will help you avoid bad breath.
Other benefits include the prevention of tooth decay and strengthening tooth enamel. Plus, it won’t cause a burning sensation. Another positive in alcohol-free rinses is for people who have a history of alcohol abuse. Likewise, some people don’t want to rinse their mouth with alcohol because it goes against their religious beliefs.
If you want to use mouthwash as part of your oral health routine, you can talk to the helpful professionals at Hitek Family Dental Care about less intense alcohol-free choices.
3. Tips for Making the Routine Stick
Building a new dental hygiene routine takes time. Fortunately, there are some ways to help yourself adhere to your new oral care routine. Your best bet is to set a nightly alarm or use a habit-forming app. You can also start small and build your way up. For instance, you might choose to focus on getting your nightly toothbrushing routine down before adding floss and mouthwash.
Another proven method is to keep the necessary supplies on hand. That way, you won’t have a built-in excuse for not brushing your teeth before bed. It’s also proven that giving yourself small rewards can increase motivation, encourage resilience, and reduce procrastination. One example is that you could give yourself an extra 15 minutes to read before bed when you stick to your nightly oral health routine.
4. Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
You want to have healthy gums and teeth, but certain challenges are standing in your way of developing a solid nighttime routine. Overcoming them will initially take some willpower, but it’ll be worth it when you develop a better smile.
The first challenge to overcome is fatigue. It’s understandable to just want to fall into bed, but taking two minutes to brush your teeth first will make you feel so much better in the long run. Therefore, when you go to the bathroom before bed, set a timer for two minutes and don’t stop brushing until it goes off.
Simply forgetting is another prime challenge. Fortunately, if you tie your toothbrushing into your nightly bathroom routine, it should become much harder not to do it. You can also place a sign on the inside of the bathroom door as a reminder.
Additionally, dealing with tooth sensitivity can make you steer clear of brushing your teeth at night. Rather than letting your teeth suffer, it’s much better to choose appropriate tools such as sensitivity toothpaste.
5. Extra Tips for Enhancing Your Routine
It’s critical that you don’t indulge in any late snacks after you’ve brushed your teeth. Therefore, always brush them right before you go to bed. Another thing that will help you is drinking plenty of water. Your mouth produces less salvia when you’re asleep, so it’s wise to keep a glass of water on your bedside table. Finally, schedule a dentist’s visit twice a year and replace your toothbrush every three to four months.
Keeping your teeth healthy will provide you with a lifetime of benefits, including boosting your overall health, improving your appearance, preventing gum disease and tooth decay, freshening your mouth, and reducing the need for extensive dental work. By building a nightly oral care routine, you’ll find it easier to maintain your smile!
Remember that it’s okay to start small. The most important thing is that you’re trying. For instance, if you forgot to brush your teeth last night, don’t beat yourself up. Simply recommit to brushing them tonight. By giving yourself some grace, you’ll find that it’s much easier to develop a dental health routine you can stick with.
Do you have any questions or concerns about your dental routine? Talk to the friendly professionals at Hitek Family Dental Care. We’re here to help you achieve a picture-perfect smile!