Most people brush their teeth twice a day. We don’t necessarily know why it’s so important to do it – but we do it anyways.
Nobody likes going to bed with stuff on their teeth. Today, I’m going to explain why brushing your teeth before bed is so important:
Run your tongue across your teeth right now
If you’re reading this, you’re probably passing some time at work or school. So let’s say it’s the middle of the day. Run your tongue across the front of your teeth. Do you feel a little fuzziness or stickiness on your teeth? How about when you move your tongue up close to the gum line? There it is.
This is called “plaque” and you’ve probably already heard of it. Plaque buildup leads to cavities, gum disease, and the growth of bacteria buildup.
The longer that plaque sits in your teeth undisturbed, the longer it has to build up and become “tartar”. Tartar is the hard, yellow, rough material that’s often found between your teeth.
Tartar is more dangerous than plaque. It leads to a higher risk of gum disease and can cause inflammation and bleeding in the gums. If you let tartar sit in your mouth too long, you could even lose teeth.
Just one missed brush can cause a cavity
Let’s say you’re over at a friend’s place for the night and you don’t have a toothbrush. It’s no big deal, you think. I’ll just brush my teeth when I get home tomorrow morning.
Unfortunately, according to some dentists, it only takes one miss brush to start the formation of a cavity. Missing one brush every year probably isn’t bad – but if your forgetfulness becomes frequent to a point where you’re missing a brush once per week, then it could develop into serious dental problems.
A bad brush is almost as bad as no brush
Some might people think that a lazy, 10 second brush with a bit of toothpaste is better than no brush at all. In most cases, that’s true – but just barely.
A lazy, so-so brushing job can almost be as bad as not brushing at all. Doctors recommend taking at least 2 minutes for each brushing session. Spend that time covering all of the surfaces of your teeth – not just the ones you see when you’re smiling.
No cheating with gum or mints
Okay, so you don’t have time to brush your teeth but you still want to have good breath. You think chewing a couple sticks of gum or a handful of breath mints will do the trick.
That’s not often the case. Gum, mints, and even mouthwashes are not adequate brushing replacements. All three give your mouth a feeling of freshness, but you’re never going to remove the plaque without brushing or flossing.
Making matters worse is the fact that gum and mints are often packed with sugar, which attacks your teeth even further.
So if you were reading this article hoping to find a way around brushing your teeth twice per day for two minutes each session, then I’ve got some bad news: if you want to keep your teeth, you’ve got to brush them.
Ready for a checkup?
Ready to blast plaque and tartar? Come in to visit Birmingham AL dentist, Gentry Gonzalez, at Valleydale Dental today for a checkup! Now offering a $75 new patient special.
