Don't Forget to Brush Your Teeth!

Would you think of crawling into bed and tucking in under the covers with muddy feet? Ewww! Probably not, right? The truth is that would not be as detrimental to your health as going to bed without brushing your teeth and yet millions of Americans have done just that. Although it is most likely an occasional occurrence, such as falling asleep with a good book or dozing off in front of the TV, it's nonetheless a bad move that wreaks havoc with your dental health.

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night?

If you have ever noticed upon waking that your teeth and jaws are sore, you may be grinding your teeth in your sleep. The technical term for this phenomenon is bruxism, which is explained as, "the rhythmic clenching of the jaws and grinding together of the teeth." According to the Colgate Oral Care Center, this activity can develop at any age. For most folks this activity takes place at night, however, some may do it unconsciously when they are awake. It can begin as a habit that involves placing the teeth together and lightly clenching the muscles of the jaws. Those who become deeply engrossed in certain tasks may be prone to this activity. Colgate's analysts report that, "This is commonly associated with the daytime tasks of lifting heavy objects, driving, reading and writing."