Sleep Your Way To A Better Smile

What does your nighttime beauty routine consist of? If you’re anything like me, you may be paying more attention to your skin than your smile. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry offers the following nighttime tips for getting a gorgeous grin:

Always go to bed with clean teeth. Every night, brush for two minutes and floss thoroughly.

Lighten up. If custom trays have been made by your dentist, use the bleaching gel at bedtime, and simply rinse in the morning. Most people see significant improvement in tooth color in a couple of weeks.

Banish morning breath. To wake up with fresh breath, brush or scrape the tongue before bed. This reduces bacteria in the mouth and cleans food and debris from between the little bumps on the tongue.

Protect your teeth. Flouride treatments prior to bedtime are recommended for people with sensitivity to cold, tooth decay or receding gums and as a preventive measure for people who have had extensive dental work.