Brushing your teeth before bed gives you the best chances of avoiding tooth decay. If you must make it through a day now and again where only one time of brushing is going to happen, make sure it is right before you go to sleep.

You naturally produce less saliva at night, so your mouth is less able to wash away debris or neutralize acids than it is during the day.

The Importance of Brushing Before Bed

During the night, your teeth repair themselves. They need to be surrounded by a neutral pH, and need to have enough saliva to keep the teeth and gums moist. If you eat foods that raise the pH or are acidic right before bed, you run the risk of those foods causing tooth decay while you sleep.

It doesn't take much to get the process started, and once it is going, your teeth quickly can get sicker. The only way to be able to battle tooth decay once it has started is to go to the dentist and get the decay cleaned up. Once the decay is gone, putting a filling in the area protects the tooth from further decay and protects the surrounding teeth and gum tissues from also getting damaged. However, much of this could be prevented if you were able to keep your teeth healthy at night.

What is the most important is that you try to brush twice a day. However, if you find yourself stuck without enough time to do it twice a day, then make sure you have made the time before retiring for the evening.

If you regularly have times where you can only brush once a day, make sure that your dentist knows that so he or she can determine if you need to come in for more regular cleanings than twice each year.

Please contact our office if you have any questions about brushing before bed.