A lot of people ask us about the best time of day to brush their teeth. Others brush even more often, after any snacks or day-time beverages. Our professional opinion? It’s not as important when you brush, just that you brush twice a day, but there are a few exceptions.
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Dentists’ Recommended Times For Brushing Your Teeth
Our answer to patients falls in line with what most dentists recommend: brushing at least twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed. But the optimal time to brush extends beyond just morning and night. Your lifestyle will determine the best times to brush throughout the day for you, and sticking to the right routine can improve your oral health and hygiene.
The Best Time To Brush Your Teeth Depends On What You Eat
When you eat and drink, plaque bacteria accumulate on your teeth. Brushing helps remove this plaque before it leads to cavities or other dental problems. Timing your brushing schedule around meals and snacks allows you to remove food particles and neutralize acids before they can damage tooth enamel.
Morning Brushing
If you breathe through your mouth a lot at night, or if you didn’t brush well the night before, you can wake up in the morning to a buildup of bacteria and plaque on your teeth. During sleep, saliva production decreases allowing plaque to accumulate and bacteria to grow unchecked. Brushing first thing after waking up helps remove this plaque buildup and freshen your breath for the start of a new day.
Aim to brush your teeth within 30 minutes of waking up. This helps counteract plaque acid production that occurs overnight. Brushing in the morning disrupts the bacteria colonies and plaque coating your teeth and gums. It removes disease-causing bacteria before they have a chance to spread and cause harm.
After Meals
Brushing after meals is needed to remove food debris and acid buildup on your teeth. As you eat and drink throughout the day, leftover food particles stick to your teeth, especially in hard-to-reach spots between teeth. Bacteria in your mouth thrive on these food particles and produce acids that can erode and damage tooth enamel.
Brushing after meals scrubs away all of this food debris and acids before they have a chance to harm your teeth. It’s recommended to wait at least 30 minutes after eating or drinking acidic beverages like coffee, tea, or soda before brushing to allow your saliva to neutralize some of the acids first. Saliva helps restore a healthy pH balance in your mouth. Brushing too soon after meals can damage enamel in its softened state.
You Should Definitely Be Brushing Before Bed
Brushing your teeth right before bedtime is the least you should do to remove the sugars and acids that can sit on your teeth all night and cause decay. During sleep, saliva production decreases, so there is less natural rinsing of the mouth. Sugars from food and beverages consumed throughout the day can stick to your teeth, feeding the bacteria and causing acid production. This acid weakens the enamel and leads to cavities over time.
It’s recommended to avoid eating or drinking anything except water in the hour before bedtime. This allows your saliva to neutralize acids and return your mouth to a normal pH level. If you snack at night or have sugary drinks, be sure to wait at least an hour before brushing to prevent damage to enamel softened by acids. Then brush thoroughly before bed to clean plaque and sugars from your teeth, leaving them fresh and clean overnight.
Brushing Frequency Is More Important Than Time Of Day
We recommend brushing your teeth at least twice per day – once in the morning and once before bed. This will help keep your teeth clean for the start and end of the day. Brushing in the morning helps remove bacteria, plaque, and odors that accumulated overnight. Brushing before bed helps ensure your mouth stays clean while you sleep. More frequent brushing always helps, and likely will provide additional benefits.
Brushing Duration Matters, Too!
The recommended brushing duration is 2 minutes. This gives the toothbrush enough time to remove plaque from all surfaces of your teeth.
Most people brush for only 45-70 seconds. Setting a timer for 2 minutes can help ensure you brush for the full recommended time. Children may need a shorter duration, like 1 minute, but should still aim for 2 minutes as they get older.
Brushing longer than 2 minutes does not provide extra benefits. The purpose is to thoroughly clean all tooth surfaces, which takes about 2 minutes for most people. Brushing too hard or long can damage gums over time. Focus on proper technique rather than duration beyond the recommended 2 minutes.
There’s No Magic Hour When It Comes To Brushing Your Teeth
The main thing to remember is that brushing your teeth is an important part of maintaining good oral hygiene and overall health. The ideal times to brush are in the morning, after meals, and before bed, but we let all our patients know that twice a day is a great goal.
Establishing a regular routine focused on key times like morning, post-meals, and bedtime will help make your good brushing habits stick. You need to be brushing properly and frequently to remove plaque that causes tooth decay and gum problems. Ask us about the ideal brushing routine for your lifestyle when you’re here for your next dental visit!