The most common times people brush their teeth are morning and night – either before or after breakfast, after dinner, or at bedtime. As the team at Town Dental Group in Mint Hill knows, common concerns that come with this routine involve hiccups in the schedule, from family life, shift work or exhaustion.

Sometimes after dinner isn’t super cut and dried. Many families face irregular weeknight routines. As the school year progresses, some have games to attend, band concerts, play practice, youth groups or other weeknight commitments. An irregular schedule often disrupts regular dental maintenance.

Many adults have daily commutes or shift work to battle with. Due to the changing landscape of the job market and the greater variety in shift schedules we see patients who are adjusting to irregularities in sleep patterns. This leads to exhaustion and often sleep takes priority over consistent brushing – either morning or night.

The most important time to be sure to brush is after eating sugar or carb-intensive foods. These foods kickstart bacteria growth on the teeth without vigilant attention.

Highly acidic foods weaken the enamel, so it is best to swish with water immediately after consuming acidic foods to reduce the acid. Then brush about 30 minutes later when the mouth is less acidic. The fluoride in toothpaste helps remineralize the enamel.

At Town Dental Group in Mint Hill, we urge all our patients to stay on top of their dental health routine. Make sure it includes a cleaning and checkup in our office every six months. We also provide general and cosmetic dentistry. Make an appointment with us today.