In the evening, we cleanse, we exfoliate, we massage serums and oils into our visage, eye cream and finish with a night cream, all in a particular order and for our teeth we just brush? To avoid those frequent dreaded visits to the dentist, it's high time we got an evening dental routine in check that will leave your teeth feeling like you’ve had them cleaned professionally, and rid you of morning breath forever.
According to dentists, your twice-daily dental routine should consist of these vital steps, in this EXACT order– that will also help you to prevent cavities, tooth decay, gingivitis, plaque and more. So what does this routine look like and what order should we be flossing, brushing and rinsing in? Keep reading…!
Mouthwash
Before anything rinse your mouth with mouthwash! Many people use it after they’ve brushed, which actually washes away all of the “good stuff” in your toothpaste, such as fluoride, which actually helps to rebuild (re-mineralize) weakened tooth enamel, slow down the loss of minerals from tooth enamel, reverse early signs of tooth decay and prevent the growth of harmful oral bacteria.
Flossing
Dentists say that you should actually be flossing BEFORE you brush your teeth, and if you fancy a new and improved way of flossing, which is also gentler on the gums, you would want to invest in a water flosser which cleans thoroughly between the teeth as brushes mainly clean the front and back sides of the teeth. Flossing prior to brushing also allows the toothpaste access between your teeth. According to dentists, flossing is imperative and brushing alone is akin to “only washing one side of a dirty plate.” Bacteria thrives between the teeth and gum area, and a water flosser allows for that dentist clean feeling!
Brush – And Take Your Time Doing It!
Brushing for 2 minutes twice a day is the way to do it- as agreed by all dentists! Using an electric toothbrush is far more effective at removing plaque because they are designed to gently massage teeth and gums correctly, and many now have a pressure sensor that warns you if you're pressing too hard. The key is to hold your brush at a 45 degree angle to the gum and brush in a circular motion, and then the inner, outer and chewing surfaces of your teeth. Brushing too hard will end up causing gum recession and sensitive teeth – so avoid that as much as possible!
When it comes to toothpaste, its highly recommended to use and stick with fluoride formulas and minimize the use of whitening or charcoal toothpaste, which are highly abrasive.
Use A Tongue Scraper
Brushing or scraping your tongue is generally overlooked – and it's totally important to do it in order to avoid the increase of a type of tongue coating that lives in the millions of little tongue crypts and causes bad breath! And that’s that! That is your entire daily dental care routine – which has way less steps than your skincare routine, and leaves your mouth feeling fresh at all times.
