While you are sleeping, your body limits its production of saliva. What does this mean for your oral health? When less saliva is present, you are not able to rinse away bacteria, which can allow harmful microbes to build up during the night. The care you take to clean your teeth before bed can help you avoid oral health problems because you can clear away bacteria and food debris before this happens. Your Austin, TX dentist wants patients to understand that their choices throughout each day can affect their ability to prevent dental problems. With that said, what you do before bed can be important when it comes to avoiding issues that might demand restorative dental work.
The Value Of A Consistent Smile Care Routine
You should clean your teeth at least twice a day by brushing them, and you should floss at least once on a daily basis. By consistently cleaning your smile, you can protect yourself against a buildup of harmful food debris and microbes, which protects you against cavities. Your work to clean your smile also helps you avoid gingivitis…as long as you make a point of cleaning at your gum line.
When you skip brushing, or when you miss an area of your smile, bacteria and other debris in your mouth can accumulate and form plaque. In time, a deposit of plaque can harden and form tartar. This process can take less time than you might realize, which is why consistency is important to a successful routine.
Give Yourself Time To Properly Brush And Floss Before Bed
If you only drag yourself to bed when you feel exhausted, you may not give your smile the attention it deserves. Brushing effectively means brushing for at least two minutes. In this time, you can reach all of the areas of your smile and clear away harmful bacteria, as well as any particles of food that might be left behind from that day. To ensure you do not miss any of these harmful substances, make sure you also floss to remove them from the spaces between teeth.
Lowering Your Risk For Nightly Teeth Grinding
Bacteria buildup is not the only nighttime issue that can impact your smile. Problems with stress, or issues with TMJ disorder, can cause a person to grind their teeth while they are asleep. Cut down on your risk for this problem by making time to relax, and by cutting down on items like caffeine and alcohol, which can make you more prone to this issue. The damage to your enamel from grinding can be serious – cosmetic dental work can be effective at restoring the appearance of your teeth in some situations, but significant harm can call for the placement of dental crowns.
Austin General Dentistry Provides Smile Care For Austin, TX Families
Our Austin, TX dentist’s office provides guidance for daily care as well as valuable support during regular dental visits. To find out more, please call Austin General Dentistry at 512-346-5540.
