Home › Blog › Brushing reminders for people who work at a computer all day

Brushing reminders for people who work at a computer all day

12 October 2026 · by James, who made Brush Buddies

When you work at a computer all day, hours can pass without you looking up. Lunch turns into a sandwich at the keyboard, the evening runs on, and brushing your teeth slides down the list. Not because you don’t care, but because nothing in front of you is reminding you.

Here’s a simple, low-effort setup for remembering to brush when your day happens on a screen.

Why phone reminders often don’t stick

Phone notifications compete with messages, news and everything else. They’re easy to swipe away without really reading them, and if your phone is face down or in a bag, you might not see them at all. A reminder on your computer screen has a better chance of being seen, because that’s where your eyes already are.

Pick times that fit a desk day

The NHS recommends brushing twice a day for about 2 minutes, including last thing at night. A desk-friendly routine might look like this:

• Morning: before you open your inbox.
• After lunch (optional): some people like a midday brush, especially if they’re in meetings in the afternoon.
• Night: when you close the laptop, or a set time like 9:30pm.

Keep a small kit nearby

If you work in an office, a toothbrush, a travel toothpaste and a small case in your desk drawer remove the “I’ll do it later” step. At home, the bathroom is usually close, so the reminder matters more than the kit.

Use reminders that respect your focus

Loud alarms are jarring when you’re concentrating. A good reminder is calm and predictable, and it lets you snooze if you’re in the middle of something. With Brush Buddies, a small buddy appears on your current browser tab with a gentle chime. You can tap Done, snooze it, or dismiss it. If no website tab is open, it can show a normal system notification instead.

Make it part of a break, not an interruption

Brushing takes about two minutes, which is a decent screen break in itself. Stand up, stretch, refill your water, brush, then come back. It’s a nice reset between tasks.

Be kind to yourself

Some days the routine will slip. That’s fine. There’s no streak to lose. Tomorrow’s reminder will still be there.

This article shares everyday habit ideas, not medical advice. For anything about your own teeth or gums, please talk to your dentist. The brushing guidance above follows the NHS advice on keeping your teeth clean.