Steps for Basic Nighttime Oral Hygiene

Steps for Basic Nighttime Oral Hygiene:

1. Brush your teeth right before bed. Brush for at least two minutes and make sure you thoroughly clean each and every tooth. You want to make sure you get rid of all the excess food particles, so the bacteria can’t grow and lead to infection and tooth decay.

2. Brush your tongue. Your tongue also needs to be brushed so all the bacteria can be removed. Brushing your tongue can also help eliminate bad breath.

3. Floss. Make sure you floss every night before going to sleep. Carefully floss in between each tooth so you remove all the bacteria from in between your teeth. Failure to do this can lead to the buildup of plaque and bacteria between your teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach.

4. Don’t eat before bedtime. Don’t floss and brush your teeth until you’re certain that you are not going to eat anything else for the rest of the night. Eating a midnight snack after flossing and brushing defeats the purpose.

5. Use mouthwash. After brushing and flossing, swish mouthwash around in your mouth. This will help fight against gum disease and plaque buildup.