Do you doubt the importance of brushing your teeth twice a day in the modern world of mouth wash, mints, breath sprays, and breath strips? Believe it or not there are more reasons than minty fresh breath to keep up with your tooth brushing skills. Brushing twice a day is very important for dental health and good oral hygiene.
1) FluorideMost toothpaste brands include fluoride as one of the main ingredients in toothpaste. Fluoride is instrumental in preventing cavities from forming. When you brush before going to bed it’s a first line of defense against the formation of cavities while you sleep.
Why? It works because the fluoride creates a layer of protection around your teeth. When you wake in the morning, one of the first things you need to do is brush your teeth in order to “touch up” that layer of protection and help protect your teeth throughout the day.
Make sure the brand of toothpaste you use provides adequate fluoride protection to safeguard your pearly whites against cavities and other signs of decay.
2) Bacteria
It’s important to brush your teeth two times a day in order to remove harmful bacteria from building up in your mouth. The bacteria, if left unchecked for a full 24-hour period will have plenty of time to do more damage to the enamel of your teeth.
A 12-hour window may not seem like a huge reduction in the amount of time for damage to be done but it literally cuts the amount of time in half. When you combine that with other efforts to eliminate the buildup of bacteria inside the mouth like flossing and using an antiseptic mouthwash or rinse the results are even more profound.
In addition to brushing your teeth twice a day, consider an antibacterial mouthwash. This will not only help protect your teeth and gums from harmful bacteria but will also remove the bacteria that leads to bad breath as well.
3) Saliva Production
While you are sleeping at night you produce less saliva than you do during the day. Saliva actually works inside your mouth as an added layer of defense against bacteria and plaque that leads to cavities. Brushing immediately before going to bed will remove many of the little particles of food and a lot of the bacteria inside your mouth that is just looking for a way to degrade your dental health.
Overnight the bacteria that remains behind creates acid (as it breaks down) inside your mouth. That acid can damage teeth and lead to cavities. Brushing first thing in the morning will reduce that risk as well.
If you are taking medications that dry your mouth it is in your best interest to start a habit of chewing sugar-free gum (the chewing action actually works to increase salivation) and drink plenty of water to keep your mouth hydrated.
4) Prevent Tartar Buildup
Tartar can build up above or below the gums. Unfortunately, it’s something that you can’t get rid of on your own. The only way to remove tartar once it gets its foot in the door is to pay a visit to your local dentist who will actually perform a thorough cleaning and literally scrape the tartar away. Failing to remove tartar buildup can lead to gum disease or even periodontal disease.
This is one thing where prevention is definitely the best cure. Tartar buildup can be prevented with regular professional cleanings by your dentist, twice daily brushing with tartar control toothpaste, and regular use of mouthwashes or rinses that are designed to assist in the fight against tartar and plaque.
People who have diabetes, smoke, or who frequently suffer from dry mouth are at greater risk for heavy tartar buildup and should take extra precautions.
5) Protect Gums
Brushing your teeth does more than just remove bacteria from the teeth, keep your breath minty fresh, and create sparkling white teeth. Good dental health is about so much more than just your teeth. Your gums are an important part of the oral hygiene and dental health tradition. If you aren’t taking good care of them, your teeth will soon fall into their own states of emergency.
Poor gum health can lead to periodontal disease, tooth sensitivity, tooth shifting, abscessed teeth, and even tooth loss. Brushing your teeth twice daily combined with flossing, antiseptic mouth rinses, and regular dental checkups and cleaning will go a long way towards overall good gum health.
Treatments for gum disease once it sets in include plaque removal in the dentist office, prescription mouth rinses to kill bacteria, and potential surgery for more severe cases.
6) Fresh Breath
No one wants to be the person in a crowded elevator with a not so small case of halitosis. Companies everywhere are making a fortune off products that are designed to make breath smell minty fresh. Fresh breath is associated with good dental health and will keep people from shying away from you in a crowd.
Mints, sprays, and gum have their uses but nothing is as effective at controlling bad breath as regular brushing of the teeth. Other things you can do that will help include using a tongue scraper as part of your daily oral care routine. This will remove odor causing bacteria from the tongue. Some dentists recommend brushing the tongue with your toothbrush as well as the teeth for cases of severe halitosis.
7) Improved Overall Health
There is more than a healthy smile on the line when people fail to pay proper attention to good dental health. The health of your smile reveals a good deal about your overall health and should not be overlooked.
Gum disease isn’t limited to your mouth. The bacteria from gum disease can get into your bloodstream leaving the entire body vulnerable. Some of the illnesses and diseases that can be linked to poor oral health include: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and premature or low birth weight babies.
Brushing your teeth twice a day can greatly decrease the odds of developing gum disease. As a result the risks of these other diseases due to the gum disease will decrease as well. Can you imagine the difference it will make when brushing is combined with routine dental checkups and cleanings, flossing, and using an antiseptic mouth rinse?
I had disgusting breath for years. I had no friends and even family keep me at a distance.
ReplyDeleteI was flossing brushing and rinsing everyday but still had bad breath. I spent thousands on all kinds of products claiming to stop bad breath but still had bad breath. I came across an eBook from badhalitosisbreathCom and it gave me my first insight into my problem. After I did all the advice in the eBook it identified Post Nasal Drip as the primary issue with eating and cleaning as the oral problem.
So I was happily surprised when my brother asked the following week why my breath didn’t smell any more, I told him what I’d done he’s like thank god for that book!
Now 6 months later I have my first girlfriend and worked up enough courage to tell her about what I was like just 1 year ago. She said I smelt better then any other boyfriend she’d had. Music to my ears!