If you regularly wake up with bad breath or a sticky mouth, or if you’re working to develop excellent dental care skills, it may be time to work on your evening oral hygiene.

Any Newport Beach dentist will tell you that it’s extremely important to care for your teeth carefully, so let’s examine a few tips for how to do just that:

Brush Your Teeth Before Bed

The food that you eat throughout the day, as well as in the evening, leaves small particles behind for bacteria to feed on. This is especially true if you’re fond of eating dessert after dinner or a snack before bed. If you skip brushing at night, these food particles turn into a virtual smorgasbord for the bacteria in your mouth, allowing them to run rampant and spread throughout the night. Brushing your teeth removes this food source, limiting bacterial growth and along with it, bad breath.

Clean Your Tongue and the Roof of Your Mouth

Your tongue and the roof of your mouth may also be contaminated with sugar, food particles, and other food sources for these same bacteria. You can brush your tongue and mouth along with your normal tooth brushing routine, or you can purchase special brushes, scrapers, and pastes for this purpose. The tool matters less than the effort you put in to ensure that your mouth is as clean as possible before you retire for the evening.

Floss Nightly

Most dentists are very familiar with the phrase, “Only floss the teeth you want to keep.” Unfortunately, it’s often quoted for a reason – there’s quite a bit of truth to this kernel of wisdom. If you find that you’re too busy in the morning to floss and that you’re skipping this essential step entirely for this reason, it may be a great idea to add it to your nightly routine. Choose a floss that slides well between your teeth, then carefully and gently use it each evening to remove stuck on bits of food, plaque, and more. If you’re not used to flossing, you may find that your gums bleed a little at first. This is normal, and they should quit after a few days.

Keep a Glass of Water Near Your Bed

Last but not least, keep a glass of water near your bed at night. Over the course of the night, breathing, snoring, and sleeping with your mouth open can dehydrate the tissue of your mouth. This can lead to a dry, sticky feeling in your mouth and contribute to bad breath. To keep bad breath at bay and ensure that your mouth is comfortable throughout the night, keep a water bottle or glass of plain water near the bed, and take a sip each time you wake up. Your mouth will feel better in the morning as a result.

In addition to putting these dental hygiene tips into action, it’s essential that you see a dentist regularly. Contact a dentist in Newport Beach to schedule an appointment and learn additional oral hygiene tips.