Two times a day, every day, it’s hard trust me I know. You are exhausted from a long day’s work running every which way after work then when it finally comes time to lay down you don’t want to have to worry with taking the time to brush your teeth. You think “Can’t I skip just this once?”

Why is it so important for us to brush our teeth twice a day?
There’s constantly good and bad bacteria developing in your mouth. Oral hygiene aims to fight back against that bad bacteria and remove it from your mouth. That bacteria, on the other hand, is doing its best to mature and reproduce. This growing process takes about 24 hours, which is when your teeth start feeling fuzzy. Gross as it may be, that fuzziness is a layer of living bacteria. (just because it has started getting chilly outside doesn’t mean our teeth need to wear a sweater)

This bacteria produces acid, which erode (or eat away) at the enamel and cause cavities. When you eat the bacteria becomes even more active. The higher the sugar content in the food you are eating the more active, and the more acid they produce. Brushing your teeth at least twice in a 24 hour period disrupts the “sweater” from becoming a plaque film which is stickier and turn in to tarter or calculus. Those last two are very hard on your teeth and need to be removed by a professional. They also cause your gums to become irritated and you could develop gingivitis. This is the first step to periodontal disease.

 

Dental professionals recommend brushing when you first wake up and when you go to bed for several reasons.
• The first being, it is an easy habit to follow. Brush when you wake up and right before your head hits the pillow.
• Fresh breath- Nobody wants to cause someone to pass out with their morning breath!
• Brushing before bed allows you to remove the food debris from the day and doesn’t allow the bad bacteria to produce more acid while you are sleeping overnight.