Is brushing at night actually more important than brushing in the morning?

[teethexpert]

Hey everyone, I have heard numerous dentists talk about the importance of brushing your teeth before going to bed and how it is even more important than brushing in the morning. I know that we should be brushing twice a day anyway but why is there this belief that brushing before bed is more important that the morning?

One reason for this belief might be that it takes around 30 mins - 60 mins for the teeth to be remineralized by the saliva and when you sleep your saliva production is less so it will take more time to remineralize which can lead to decay. But if the last time you ate or drank was hours ago before going to bed then the tooth would have already been remineralized by the saliva so it's not an issue.

I'm not saying brushing at night is not important, all I'm saying is I don't see how it is more important than brushing in the morning as long as you wait for a few hours after you ate or drank before going to bed.

This is just my reasoning on this but I would love to hear your opinions and thoughts as well.

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[axiumgod]

The purpose of brushing is to remove food debris from the teeth so there are less fermentable carbs present for bacteria produce acid with. Bacteria + fermentable carbs = lactic acid production —> demineralization —> caries.

Brushing at night is more important so you’re removing the daily buildup of food debris sooner, rather than letting it sit overnight.

 

[teethexpert]

The purpose of brushing is to remove food debris from the teeth so there are less fermentable carbs present for bacteria produce acid with. Bacteria + fermentable carbs = lactic acid production —> demineralization —> caries.

Brushing at night is more important so you’re removing the daily buildup of food debris sooner, rather than letting it sit overnight.

Correct me please if I'm wrong, but once the acid from the food has been neutralised and the tooth has been remineralized why would it matter if there is left over food debris as the harmful effect has been neutralised? Does the left over food debris constantly cause demineralization to occur?

 

[princeafrica]

Correct me please if I'm wrong, but once the acid from the food has been neutralised and the tooth has been remineralized why would it matter if there is left over food debris as the harmful effect has been neutralised? Does the left over food debris constantly cause demineralization to occur?

if you leave gummy bears between your teeth the bacteria in your mouth will keep feeding the sugar off it and release acid in exchange for the nice pile of sugar left behind

 

[teethexpert]

if you leave gummy bears between your teeth the bacteria in your mouth will keep feeding the sugar off it and release acid in exchange for the nice pile of sugar left behind

So how would that affect the demineralisation / remineralisation cycle - are your teeth going to be in a constant state of demineralisation?

 

[bracketbuster68]

More important to brush at night

 

[princeafrica]

So how would that affect the demineralisation / remineralisation cycle - are your teeth going to be in a constant state of demineralisation?

Your teeth stay closer to the red zone longer

 

[teethexpert]

View attachment 368120
Your teeth stay closer to the red zone longer

So during sleep when saliva production is lower anyway your teeth are pretty much in a much longer state of demineralisation

 

[Boat on the Chesapeake]

If you brush in the morning your teeth are only clean until lunch. If you brush after dinner your teeth are clean for many more hours.

 

[FutureDent020]

Brush in the morning to keep your friends, brush at night to keep your teeth… or something like that.

 

[ebessie]

Ideally, do both.

However, brushing at night in my opinion is more important if you had to pick one or the other.

Don't want that food sitting on your teeth all night.

 

[redchesus]

Let's assume you only brush once a day.

At night, after a full day, you've eaten presumably 3 meals + snacks... this is a lot of accumulated food debris and dental plaque (fuel sources for your bacteria to do their demineralization thing). Then you go into a period of low saliva production for the night which means you have a WORSE ability to remineralize than during the day. You need to help your teeth by mechanically removing (brushing AND flossing) as much food debris and dental plaque before entering this period of low saliva production.

First thing in the morning, you haven't eaten any new meals, and your saliva production is returning. The need for mechanical removal is less.

But like... just brush twice, it's not a big ask compared to the price of dental work (I'm assuming you're not a dental professional or student because this is covered in first year cariology).

 

[teethexpert]

Let's assume you only brush once a day.

At night, after a full day, you've eaten presumably 3 meals + snacks... this is a lot of accumulated food debris and dental plaque (fuel sources for your bacteria to do their demineralization thing). Then you go into a period of low saliva production for the night which means you have a WORSE ability to remineralize than during the day. You need to help your teeth by mechanically removing (brushing AND flossing) as much food debris and dental plaque before entering this period of low saliva production.

First thing in the morning, you haven't eaten any new meals, and your saliva production is returning. The need for mechanical removal is less.

But like... just brush twice, it's not a big ask compared to the price of dental work (I'm assuming you're not a dental professional or student because this is covered in first year cariology).

Actually I am a dental student haha. Of course it is best to brush twice a day but from my understanding of the Stephan curve, once the acid attack is over and the teeth have been remineralized no more further demineralization will occur until you eat or drink something new. Hence the question is it more detrimental to skip brushing at night even if you go to sleep with the demineralization phase over and the teeth remineralized by waiting for an hour after eating or drinking

 

[knewstance]

Actually I am a dental student haha. Of course it is best to brush twice a day but from my understanding of the Stephan curve, once the acid attack is over and the teeth have been remineralized no more further demineralization will occur until you eat or drink something new. Hence the question is it more detrimental to skip brushing at night even if you go to sleep with the demineralization phase over and the teeth remineralized by waiting for an hour after eating or drinking

The Stephan curve is helpful for understanding the buffering ability of the saliva, but does not account for retained hunks of chocolate in-between the teeth. Mechanical debridement is necessary to get completely out of the demineralization phase.

 

[teethexpert]

The Stephan curve is helpful for understanding the buffering ability of the saliva, but does not account for retained hunks of chocolate in-between the teeth. Mechanical debridement is necessary to get completely out of the demineralization phase.

So in that case your teeth are in a constant state of demineralization throughout the whole day because hardly anyone will brush their teeth after lunch. According to this then we should be seeing a much higher percentage of people with caries if the teeth are constantly in the demineralization phase from morning until night

 

[axiumgod]

If saliva was so efficient at buffering pH that it had a 100% effect of preventing demineralization, then caries would never occur. Your logic is flawed. It is not as black and white as overall mouth pH is high = no demineralization. On top of overall mouth pH, biofilm on teeth causes acidic micro environments that cause local demineralization, which isn’t reversed by saliva buffering. Hence the need for mechanical removal. I suggest you do some more studying before arguing yourself blue.

Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Cariogenic Biofilm Microenvironment

Cariogenic biofilms are highly structured microbial communities embedded in an extracellular matrix, a multifunctional scaffold that is essential for the existence of the biofilm lifestyle and full expression of virulence. The extracellular matrix provides ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[teethexpert]

If saliva was so efficient at buffering pH that it had a 100% effect of preventing demineralization, then caries would never occur. Your logic is flawed. It is not as black and white as overall mouth pH is high = no demineralization. On top of overall mouth pH, biofilm on teeth causes acidic micro environments that cause local demineralization, which isn’t reversed by saliva buffering. Hence the need for mechanical removal. I suggest you do some more studying before arguing yourself blue.

Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Cariogenic Biofilm Microenvironment

Cariogenic biofilms are highly structured microbial communities embedded in an extracellular matrix, a multifunctional scaffold that is essential for the existence of the biofilm lifestyle and full expression of virulence. The extracellular matrix provides ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I'm not arguing lol like I said in a previous comment I'm just a dental student. The whole point of this was to see if the theory I learnt actually applies in real life. No need to get so mad, chill

 

[axiumgod]

I'm not arguing lol like I said in a previous comment I'm just a dental student. The whole point of this was to see if the theory I learnt actually applies in real life. No need to get so mad, chill

Rebuking every single comment suspiciously resembles arguing

 

[teethexpert]

Rebuking every single comment suspiciously resembles arguing

Ok