Did you remember to brush your teeth this morning? Excellent, says Norman dentist Dr. Bobby J. Carmen. Now, think back on what you ate today. You try to eat healthy, so let’s say you started the day with a breakfast of oatmeal, orange juice and coffee. For lunch, you stopped at the local sandwich shop and had a turkey on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato and mayo, a bag of potato chips and a soft drink. Your mid-afternoon snack was a handful of almonds and raisins, and dinner was veggie lasagna and a salad. Nutritious and delicious for you—and a veritable feast for oral bacteria.
Which brings us to our point: brushing before going to bed reduces the number of bacteria that spend the night eating and excreting in your mouth. Like every other living organism on the face of the planet, oral bacteria excrete waste. The problem is that this waste has toxins that can lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease. So, when you fall asleep without first brushing and flossing, those toxins can begin to cause trouble for your oral health as well as your general health.
Your Mouth and You
In particular, bacteria in your mouth tend to accumulate in plaque, which is that rough and sticky substance that builds on our teeth throughout the day. (If you haven’t brushed in a while, run your tongue over your teeth and you may feel it.) If not cleared away with good oral hygiene, plaque hardens to become tartar. No matter how hard you try, brushing and flossing will not remove tartar. To do that you need a professional cleaning with one of our skilled dental hygienists.
Both plaque and tartar are the precursors to gingivitis and periodontitis, the first and second stages of periodontal disease. Symptoms of this bacterial infection include:
- Red and swollen gum tissue
- Bleeding gums
- Gum recession
- Visible pus between your teeth
- Loose teeth
If left untreated, advanced gum disease may necessitate tooth extraction.
Unfortunately, the consequences of gum disease are not confined to your mouth. The inflammation associated with gum disease has been linked to several unhealthy medical conditions such cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia, stroke and pregnancy complications.
Schedule an Appointment with Norman Dentist Dr. Carmen
So what’s the moral of the story? Spend two minutes—two minutes! That’s all!—brushing your teeth before bed. And be sure to schedule regular dental cleanings with Dr. Carmen in Norman, OK.