At the end of a busy day, all you want to do is crawl into bed. Are you guilty of not brushing your teeth before you do? You’re not alone, but it’s not a good habit to get in to. Here’s why you shouldn’t skip brushing your teeth.

How many people don’t brush their teeth before bed?

Figures from the Oral Health Foundation found that more than half of adults (51%) in the UK skip brushing their teeth once per week. And it gets worse-one in eight respondents said they skip brushing three times per week!

The figures also showed that people were twice as likely to skip brushing at night and younger people were more likely to skip brushing. Men were also less likely to brush twice per day than women. Do you relate, or do you think it’s a bit, well, ugh?

Why you shouldn’t skip brushing your teeth at night

Not brushing your teeth at night can be particularly problematic. We all know that brushing our teeth removes plaque, and if plaque isn’t removed, it builds up, along with bacteria, which causes gum disease and tooth decay.

Night-time is probably the most important time to brush. When you are asleep, you don’t produce as much saliva, so bacteria can flourish. Imagine if you haven’t brushed before bed and all that food debris is left overnight? If plaque and bacteria grow, you’ll have more to worry about than just your morning breath.

Brush twice per day for two minutes

So you definitely shouldn’t skip brushing your teeth. For good oral health you need to brush twice per day for two minutes. The Oral Health Foundation’s research found that one in four UK adults brush only once per day, and one in ten brush their teeth for a minute or less. It’s clear that many people don’t see brushing their teeth as a priority, even though dental disease, and wider systemic disease is almost completely preventable with a good oral health care routine.

What makes a good oral health routine?

Brush teeth for two minutes, in the morning and last thing at night.

Don’t brush too hard, and make sure you’ve brushed all surfaces of your teeth.

After brushing, spit out any excess toothpaste, but DON’T rinse your mouth with water. This rinses away the protective fluoride from the toothpaste.

Use a mouthwash daily.

Visit your dentist regularly.

Cut down on sugary and acidic foods.

For more articles on oral health care and the products you need for a bright and healthy smile, check out the rest of our blog.