Back to School Brushing Routine
It’s time to get your family back into a routine with good oral hygiene habits. Yes, the summer days are winding down and the school season is quickly approaching. Our kids got to stay up late, sleep in late, eat junk food and occasionally go to bed after a full day of activities without brushing their teeth. Hey, I know we parents are human and this is real life. However, the consequences of not taking care of our teeth properly include cavities, bad breath, and gum disease. Here are a few ways to make sure brushing fits into your routine on a regular basis.
1. Set your alarm to get up in the morning a few minutes earlier than usual. Then get your family right out of bed, dressed and fed. After breakfast, you can use those few extra minutes, specifically 2 minutes, to brush your teeth before you leave for school.
2. Stop snacking at least 2 hours before bedtime. And when snack time is over, get to brushing your teeth right away. Brushing and flossing before you get too tired at bedtime allows you to have the energy to do a good job and not rush brushing (or worse skipping it), just to get to bed. Did you know that brushing and flossing your teeth before bedtime is the most important time? It is because when we sleep, our saliva is stagnant, and not flushing our mouth like it does during the daytime when we are awake. And if you really must have something to eat or drink after you brushed, stick to water, sugar free gum and cheese.
3. Get a brushing reminder app. Check out Brush DJ, you can set reminders to brush and floss twice a day. It can also help you remember to see your dentist for regular checkups. The app makes brushing fun and entertaining by playing a randomly selected song from your playlist for two full minutes (the recommended time for getting those pearly whites clean). This app is also free.
Follow the above steps for an easy way to incorporate brushing and flossing into a regular routine. Prevention is key to maintaining a healthy smile and keeping the cost of fixing dental problems down. Make sure to use a soft toothbrush head only to prevent damage from brushing too hard. Also, be sure to replace your toothbrush every 3 months because a worn toothbrush head does not clean your teeth. Finally, you only have to brush the teeth you want to keep 😉.
