When you wake up in the morning, you brush your teeth, eat healthy and even floss throughout the day. But, what are you doing at night? Even with all your efforts, if you aren't doing the right thing at night, all your efforts could be worthless. Make sure you aren't making any nighttime mistakes that could actually be putting your dental health in jeopardy.

Ignoring Teeth Grinding

Grinding of the teeth, more formally known as bruxism, is a common, involuntary habit many people deal with during their sleeping hours. If you are suffering from bruxism, you probably wake up in the morning with sore jaws and teeth. Don't ignore this issue as soreness is only the start of your problem.

Over time, uncontrolled grinding can lead to significant misalignment issues, and in some cases, it can also cause the masseter muscle to overdevelop, which can damage your saliva glands. If you suspect that you're grinding your teeth at night, speak to your provider for a solution right away.

Consuming Anything After Brushing

Most people understand that they shouldn't eat after brushing their teeth at night, but food isn't the only problem. For instance, it might seem harmless to have a glass of orange juice on your nightstand to sip on throughout the night, but this is a harmful practice. Fruit juices are typically loaded with sugar. In some instances, you may be drinking the equivalent of candy.

Sugar is also present in cough drops and some cough syrups. When you consume these things after brushing, you give the bacteria in your plaque all night to feed on the sugar and work to destroy your enamel. Make sure you aren't consuming anything but water after brushing.

Not Using Mouthwash

The average person relies on mouthwash as a way to freshen their breath. Since fresh breath isn't necessarily at the top of the priority list at bedtime, some people only use mouthwash in the morning. When you understand just how important mouthwash is, you can easily recognize just why it's a mistake to skip this process at night.

Mouthwash can also be used to destroy plaque, control decay, provide additional cavity protection, and help rinse away any leftover food debris. The idea is that whatever you may have missed during brushing you can eliminate with mouthwash.

Ensure that your dental health is taken care of from the moment you wake up to the time you go to sleep.