Is It Better to Brush Your Teeth in the Morning or Night? While it's optimal to brush your teeth both in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go to bed, brushing at night is actually more important. During the day, the foods you eat leave particles and debris on your teeth that feed bacteria.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing your beautiful smile twice a day. Skip a session, and you're on your way to encouraging the growth of bacterial buildup in the form of plaque, which can lead to cavities and even gum disease.
The Answer is Both! Brushing your teeth in both the morning and at night is important for healthy smiles! During the day and throughout the night, our mouths encounter different types of bacteria and produce saliva as a defense to fight the development of tooth decay and gum disease.
Brushing your teeth right away when you wake up helps to rid your teeth of this harmful plaque and bacteria. Brushing also coats your teeth with a protective barrier against the acids in your food.
In short, the best times of day to brush your teeth are in the morning and in the evening. Some wonder if after eating breakfast is the best time to brush their teeth, but it's actually best to brush your teeth right when you wake up in the morning.
Risks With Only Brushing Once a Day
Cavities. Advanced decay that could require additional dental treatment such as a root canal. Gum disease. Chronic bad breath.
One week without brushing:
As soon as a week goes by, your teeth' enamel will start to break down. The plaque that hasn't been removed will make it easy for bad breath to grow. A dirty tooth will make it hard to clean. You will have a greater chance of getting cavities if you don't brush your teeth for a week.
The Ideal Time to Brush. Actually, brushing your teeth in the period between dinner and bedtime is ideal. This is because it gives the fluoride in your toothpaste extra time to strengthen your teeth and form a barrier against acid before you go to sleep.
Maintaining impeccable oral hygiene is both the best quick fix and long-term solution for bad breath of any kind. Brush your teeth immediately before you go to bed at night, and don't eat or drink anything afterward. Doing so can introduce food particles that will be broken down over night.
In fact, most experts say that even with just once-a-day brushing, it is already enough to keep bacteria and cavities at bay. Yes, you read it right. Brushing your teeth once a day is enough to maintain good oral health if it is done correctly.
The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes each time. When you brush your teeth, you help remove food and plaque — a sticky white film that forms on your teeth and contains bacteria.
When you don't brush regularly, plaque builds up on teeth, can harden into tartar, and provide a nice environment for bacteria to thrive. These bacteria can work their way into your gums and cause an infection.
Saliva. Specifically, saliva production decreases while you're sleeping, leaving you with dry mouth at night. Since saliva usually flushes out odor-causing particles, you're left with bacterial buildup that makes its presence known with its distinctive aroma.
Brushing your teeth in the morning gets rid of that morning breath by removing the acid and bacteria that build up overnight. If you don't brush your teeth thoroughly and often, a substance known as tartar will accumulate on the surface of your teeth and can be difficult to clean.
Your dentist will tell you that everyone has some degree of morning breath. The reason, when you are asleep, your mouth begins to dry out. As it dries, odor-causing bacteria begin to form. Saliva also decreases when you sleep causing your breath to be at its worst upon rising.
Brushing your teeth is crucial for fighting cavities and tooth decay. A study by Delta Dental found that 70 percent of Americans brush their teeth twice a day, typically once before bedtime and once when they wake up.
Similarly to flossing, your dental team will also be able to tell if you don't brush your teeth often enough or even if you brush too hard. Those who don't brush the recommended two times a day will often have larger areas of tartar buildup and puffy, red gums.
Consuming Certain Foods and Drinks
Other teeth-staining foods include coffee, citrus fruits and juices, soft drinks, teas, berries, tomato-based sauces, curry, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. Ingredients in these foods can seep into your enamel (the outermost covering of your teeth) and cause discoloration.
People often think tooth loss is normal as they age, but that is not the case. Permanent teeth are made to last, meaning people can keep their natural teeth their entire lives, even if they live to be 100 years old.
Twice daily brushing is best for most people – but once a day is better than nothing! If you decide to brush once a day, consider timing it just before bed or just after waking. Also think about other dental care activities you can do. For example, recent research shows antiseptic mouth wash can help reduce plaque.
Takeaway. When you're looking to protect your tooth enamel, brushing right after you wake up in the morning is better than brushing your teeth after breakfast. If you have to brush your teeth after breakfast, try to wait 30 to 60 minutes before you brush.
If you think you might have bad breath, there is a simple test that you can do. Just lick the inside of your wrist and sniff – if the smell is bad, you can be fairly sure that your breath is too. Or, ask a very good friend to be absolutely honest with you; but do make sure they are a true friend.
If you lick your wrist, let it dry for a moment, then take a whiff, you should be able to get an idea if your breath has an odor too. Another method is to floss toward the back of your mouth, then smell the floss. Or gently scrape your tongue using a tongue scraper or soft bristle toothbrush, then smell the scraper.
According to a study by Delta Dental, 31% of Americans fail to brush their teeth at least twice a day, with two percent admitting to not brushing at all.