Brushing In The Shower: Yes or No?
As humans, a lot of us are always looking for ways to conserve time, make the most of our minutes, and be as efficient as possible. Optimizing our morning routine is one of the first ways we go about doing this. Pre-setting the coffee pot or picking out or outfit the night before, and some of us brush our teeth in the shower as a way to save on sink time at the start of our day. What people may not be realizing that by prioritizing time over their teeth, they could be putting their oral health at risk. You might think you have mastered your morning routine and are still a spot-on toothbrush-er, but consider a few things before continuing this convenient trend.
What About Flossing?
We can guarantee that would be the first thing your dentist would ask if you told them about your shower-brushing routine. Flossing already is something we commonly avoid, and dodge questions about during our dentist visits but will always be extremely important for overall dental health. When you're showering, it's even trickier to get the thin, filmy string to flow across the spool, and then use with wet hands. Avoid the awkwardness and lack of sanitation and stick to flossing outside of the shower.
Mirrors Make A Difference
Dentists and hygienists use them when they're inspecting and cleaning our mouths, why wouldn't we use the same tool if we have it conveniently located in our home? As an adult, brushing can feel second-nature, but thoroughly caring for your teeth means checking in to see if they look as clean as you think. Having the ability to just take a peek at those back molars, or at the color of your tongue can go a long way in ensuring a healthy mouth, and even healthy digestion.
Distractions A-Plenty
The mandated amount of brushing we need a day is 2 minutes, twice a day which seems pretty straight forward. Except with interfering elements like shampoo leaking into your eyes, water temperature adjustments, and whatever else you compile into your shower line-up, it's easy to miss that 2 minute mark.
Toothbrush Residue
Covering or storing your containers, especially in consistently damp area is not recommended by American Dental Association because humid environments breed bacteria. The bathroom especially is one of the most germ-ridden rooms in any home and leaving your toothbrush in a wet shower makes you and your mouth vulnerable to unwanted bacteria and microbes.
Think About Our Environment
You may not only think you're conserving time by brushing your teeth in the shower but you might also think you're saving on water. On the contrary, the Environmental Protection Agency says you can save 8 gallons of water a day by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth. That means while you're enjoying the waterfall of comfortable, warm water rushing over you, you're likely wasting tons of water that you could be conserving by shutting off your tap, brushing over the sink.
Our Tips For Saving Time
We completely understand that being efficient with your time is a smart move in our on-the-go world we live in. So, if you must shower while brushing, adopt these practices to save your smile (and the planet):
• Time yourself. Make sure you hit your two minutes of brushing time by setting a timer, playing music or counting in your head (30 seconds per quadrant).
• Grab the floss after your shower. Get clean, then head to the mirror to floss. Flossing removes what your toothbrush can’t, protecting you from cavities, gum disease and bad breath.
• Don’t store your toothbrush in the shower. Keep your toothbrush clean by storing it upright and uncovered to air-dry.
• Limit water flow. Avoid wasting water by upgrading to a low-flow showerhead aerator, which adds air to the water stream to slow down the flow while maintaining high water pressure. Showerhead aerators save up to 3 gallons of water per minute, according to the EPA.
If you are a shower-brusher, or have tips for improving your morning bathroom routine, feel free to drop us a line. We love to hear from you!
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