By: Dr. Andrew Koenigsberg
Another great divide among Americans is whether or not it’s okay to brush and floss your teeth in the shower. For some of us it’s a great time saver and others believe it’s just plain gross.
“When I saw through the steamy fog that my boyfriend was brushing his teeth in the shower, I thought I was hallucinating. What else was he doing in the shower? It was the beginning of the end,” reports one of our patients.
But there are plenty of people who choose the shower instead of the sink to maintain their dental health. According to a 2014 survey by Delta Dental Plans Association, 4 percent of Americans or about 13 million people say they brush/floss most frequently in the shower.
Dr. Andrew Koenigsberg, a dentist at Gallery57Dental, is an advocate of shower brushing/flossing,
“As a native New Yorker, I’m all in favor of multi-tasking. Often, patients tell us that they can’t find the time to floss. By incorporating flossing into a daily activity such as showering (and we’re assuming a daily shower), you don’t have to carve out a separate time for your dental hygiene.But if you find flossing in the shower gross, try and find another daily activity such as watching the evening news and floss then.”
Here are some of Dr. K’s hacks to maximize your flossing/brushing time in the shower:
1.If you floss after the conditioner is applied, you not only have healthier gums and teeth but softer hair, too.
2. Hang a no fog shower mirror to ensure you can see what you’re doing and you brush properly.
3. Don’t leave the toothbrush in the shower, the moist environment is conducive to bacteria growth.
4. The Sonicare and Oral B electric toothbrushes are safe to use in the shower, but keep the rechargers far away from splashing water.
