Oral Hygiene Education

At Dr. Yip’s office, we recommend brushing twice a day for two minutes at a time. It is best to brush first thing in the morning before breakfast. This is to ensure you remove the extra bacteria that grew during sleep while your mouth was dry. At night before bed, floss first before you brush with a fluoride toothpaste. This will allow the fluoride to reach the in-between spaces.

Decrease the frequency of eating and drinking throughout the day. As soon as you eat a piece of food or take a sip of something other than tap water, the pH of your mouth decreases. The bacteria living in your mouth thrive in this acidic environment, eroding and softening your enamel. While your teeth are in this vulnerable state, it is better to not brush until about 40 minutes after eating or drinking. This will allow your saliva to neutralize the mouth. Swish instead with plain tap water to help speed the process. You can also chew xylitol gum (no more than 10-20 minutes) or suck on xylitol hard candies to stimulate
salivary flow to wash away food debris and neutralize the acid. Xylitol helps coat and protect the teeth, creating a barrier to prevent plaque from building up.

Sipping on tap water throughout the day is a must to keep the growing bacteria at bay. Keep in mind that as soon as your mouth starts getting dry, the normal bacteria in your mouth starts to multiply and overgrow.

Try to monitor your posture, especially when sitting and while working on the computer. You will tend to clench when you slouch. Don’t support your chin in your hand or fist since this will also cause clenching. Clenching leads to increased stress on your teeth and causes micro-fractures which bacteria can get into and cause decay. These areas will likely eventually break down into cavities. Use a custom occlusal guard or an OTC bite guard during sleep and while at the computer and during long flights and road trips to minimize the excess pressure on your teeth.