A Guide to Nighttime Oral Care

Keeping your teeth strong, your gums healthy, and your smile bright
is not just a day job; your mouth needs protection at night too. Donna
L. Zak, D.D.S., of Zak & Frankel Dental Associates in New York City,
explains: “Nighttime oral hygiene is important because while we’re
sleeping, we’re not swallowing, so the bacteria in our mouths increase
throughout the night. The nighttime goal is to avoid giving the bacteria
anything to break down and feed off.”

There are three basic steps to nighttime hygiene: brushing, flossing,
and rinsing with mouthwash. Dr. Zak says the order doesn’t matter, as
long as the food particles and plaque are removed. However, she adds,
“My preference is for brushing, flossing, and then mouthwash because I
feel that brushing first makes it easier to floss.”

Steps for Basic Nighttime Oral Hygiene:

Brushing

Brushing your teeth helps protect them from plaque
buildup and tooth decay. Using a soft-bristled brush and toothpaste that
contains fluoride, start brushing your teeth at a 45-degree angle to
the gums. The correct method, according to the American Dental
Association, is to brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide)
strokes. The ADA suggests brushing the outer tooth surfaces first, then
working your way through the inner tooth surfaces and the chewing
surfaces of your teeth. The association also recommends using the “toe”
of the brush to clean the backs of your front teeth with gentle
up-and-down strokes.

Whether you should brush right after dinner, before bed, or both
depends on your susceptibility to dental disease. Because recent studies
have shown that the risk for dental disease varies from person to
person, dentists are now following medical models of dental disease to
determine their patients’ susceptibility and the type of care they need.
“People who are at a low risk for cavities and gum disease can
certainly wait until bedtime to brush (though the timing isn’t as
crucial for them). Higher-risk patients would benefit from both an
after-dinner and a bedtime brushing,” says Dr. Zak.

Flossing

Cleaning between your teeth with floss allows you to reach plaque
that you can’t remove with a toothbrush. Flossing at least once a day
will also help prevent periodontal (gum) disease. To floss properly, the
ADA recommends using an 18-inch-long strand, winding most of it around
your middle fingers (to manage the floss as it gets dirty), and then
holding the remaining floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.
Next, use a gentle rubbing motion to guide the floss between your
teeth. As you move toward the gum line, curve the floss into a C shape
against each tooth, rubbing back and forth against the tooth as you go.
When you get to the root of the tooth, slide the floss into the space
between the gum and the tooth and keep rubbing gently. Then slowly move
the floss away from the gum with an up-and-down motion, and repeat for
the rest of your teeth, including the backsides of your last teeth on
the top and bottom.

Dr. Zak says that flossing is important because it enables you to
remove plaque while it’s still soft: “Once the plaque hardens and forms
tartar, only a professional cleaning by a hygienist or dentist can
remove it. Patients who are very susceptible to gum disease or tartar
buildup may want to consider flossing twice a day.”

Rinsing With Mouthwash

Rinsing with a therapeutic mouthwash will help keep your breath
fresh, your teeth plaque- and cavity-free, and your gums safe from
gingivitis. Most mouthwashes are sold over the counter, though some
require prescriptions. Follow the instructions on the packaging for best
results.

source: “A Guide to Nighttime Oral Care.” Jen Laskey everydayhealth.com. Everyday Health, Sept. 2009. Web. March 30th, 2017.