Brushing your teeth during the day in an important part of maintaining good oral health. Even with work hours and a commute, keeping a clean smile and fresh breath throughout a work day is possible! With the combination of long hours of being away from the comfort of your own bathroom, you might feel that it may be a little bit more difficult to maintain your same at home oral hygiene routine. If you follow these tips, they can go a long way to help keeping your teeth clean and mouth fresh while at work.
Pack a Toothbrush
One of the most effective ways to keep your teeth clean while at work is to brush your teeth. Brushing not only keeps your teeth clean, helps prevent plaque from building up on your teeth, it also helps keep your breath fresh.
Keep a spare toothbrush in your bag or desk and make brushing part of your freshening up afternoon routine. If you pack a toothbrush to work then you’re already closer to clean teeth than you think. A survey done by Oral-B Laboratories and the Academy of General Dentistry showed that if you keep a toothbrush at work, the chances you will brush during the day increase by 65%.
Keep in mind the the ideal time to brush your teeth is about 30 minutes after you have consumed food or a beverage. Food and beverages can be acidic and you will want to brush your teeth after the acid in your mouth has become neutralized by your saliva to prevent weakening and removing tooth enamel.
Wipe Your Teeth
If brushing your teeth with a toothbrush is not an option, using teeth wipes can be a good alternative.
Teeth wipes are a portable product designed to give you cleaner teeth and freshen your breath in a convenient, individual on the go package. They are used with your finger, allowing you to wipe the surface of your teeth, gums and tongue without needing water or rinsing.
Chew Gum
Chewing on sugarless gum 30 minutes after you eat or drink a beverage is a great way to help protect your teeth. Not only will it help freshen your breath, it also causes your mouth to produce more saliva, which helps rinse out your mouth naturally. Chewing gum also helps neutralize the acid that forms in your mouth when you break down food. Over time, these acids and the bacteria that thrive in the acidic environment can potentially wear down your tooth enamel and cause unwanted damage and decay. More saliva helps relieve this problem while also bringing with it more calcium and phosphate from the natural buffers in the saliva, which help to strengthen enamel and reduce your risk of a dental cavity. By chewing sugarless gum after meals for around twenty minutes, you can effectively keep your teeth cleaner than ever before.
Drink Lots of Water
If none of the options listed above are feasible to do during the workday, then up the amount of water you drink. Not only is drinking water help keep you hydrated, it will also help flush out debris from your mouth. It also can replace drinks that are highly acidic or sugary, helping to reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth which can lead to plaque, tartar and tooth decay.
It might take some getting used to adding an oral hygiene routine into your daily work schedule but will be well worth the effort. Not only will your oral health benefit from it, your colleagues might thank you as fresh breath in a work environment is always a welcome thing!
If you have concerns or questions about keeping your teeth clean while at work, please do not hesitate to contact the dentists at North Burnaby Dental Group or ask your dentist at your next appointment.
