Your Morning Routine
What does your morning routine look like? You wake up, stretch, think about the day ahead and remember the dozens of things you have to do before you leave the house. Even on your most hectic days, your teeth, your dentist, and your wallet will thank you if you remember your teeth brushing!
If you’ve ever felt an uncomfortable texture on your teeth or in your mouth, chances are it was related to plaque build-up. Plaque is a sticky film of germs and food that forms on your teeth and gums after eating and even while you sleep! Leaving plaque on your teeth by not brushing twice a day and flossing once a day can lead to cavities and gum disease, not to mention bad breath. Bacteria thrives on plaque and food particles and processes the sugar, carbohydrates, and starch, converting them to acid. You want to protect your healthy tooth structure for your whole life, and good oral hygiene is the way to do that.
If you remember teeth brushing, you’ll leave the house feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day!
Teeth Brushing Basics:
- Use a soft toothbrush. This will be kind to your enamel and gum tissue.
- Place a pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste on your brush.
- Place your tooth brush at an angle toward your gums.
- Move the brush in an elliptical motion gently and in short strokes.
- Brush the tops and the sides of the teeth.
- Count to thirty for each quadrant. You should be brushing a total of 2 minutes. The electric toothbrushes are timed to last the full 2 minutes so you don’t have to count!
- Remember to brush your tongue to remove germs and freshen your breath!
Your Evening Routine
Before heading to sleep after a long day, it’s tempting to skip brushing and hop right into bed. Between cooking dinner, catching up with family, wrapping up emails, and heading to the gym – we know there’s not much energy left! Try to think about what you’ve eaten over the course of the day (three meals, snacks, and drinks). By not brushing, you’re allowing bacteria in your mouth to start turning those carbohydrate and starches into cavity-causing sugars. It only takes a couple minutes to STOP the bacteria in its tracks and remove the plaque before it damages your teeth!
An extra two minutes in the morning and two minutes at night will save you money on dental work and trips to the dentist. Remember to schedule your 6-month professional cleaning and check-up to ensure problems are caught when they are small and easy to fix!
Just realized it’s time for your next visit? We have convenient early morning, late evening, and weekend hours that simplify scheduling without any need to take time off from work or school.
Call us today (425) 354-3138, fill out an appointment request on our website https://mccauleydentistry.com, or email us at office@mccauleydentistry.com.
Dr. Amanda McCauley, DDS