Dentists always put stress on proper oral care, which includes brushing, flossing, a well-balanced diet, bi-annual teeth cleanings and exams, and more. Brushing is the main component of maintaining your oral health, and not brushing your teeth can be pretty detrimental. So, what happens when you don’t brush your teeth? We will discuss the importance of cleaning your teeth and the consequences of not doing so in this blog.
What Happens If You Don’t Brush Your Teeth
Your dentist will provide you with oral hygiene instructions, and you should follow them to the dot to make sure you have excellent dental health. If you neglect to brush your teeth, which is a significant part of your oral hygiene, it can have severe consequences. Here is an insight on what happens when you don’t brush your teeth:
- Bad Breath: When you do not brush your teeth, it allows bacteria to build up on your teeth and gums. Moreover, it does not remove the food particles in your mouth, which can start to rot, releasing bad odors. Both bacteria and the decomposing food debris carry a pungent smell that gives you bad breath.
- Cavities: Plaque, which is a sticky film coating your teeth, contains bacteria that can eat away the enamel of your teeth. Over time, it reaches the inner layers of your tooth, causing tooth decay, which advances into a cavity. Cavities require immediate treatment, or they can lead to severe complications, such as an infection.
- Gum Disease: Another problem caused by not brushing your teeth is gum disease. Plaque can weaken your gums, which causes the early stage of gum disease called gingivitis. Your gums will become puffy and start bleeding because the bacteria present in the plaque irritates the gums. Over time, gingivitis turns into a more severe type of infection called periodontitis, which can affect your dental bones.
- Tooth Loss: When you do not brush your teeth, your teeth and gums suffer. Refusing to brush gets to your gums, causing bone infection, and what happens next is tooth loss. Your natural, adult teeth will not come back! You will have to get a replacement, and losing a tooth can have many harmful effects.
When You Don’t Brush Your Teeth For a Day, a Week, or a Year
Missing one morning or one night of brushing is bad enough, but if you let it go on for a year, that can have severe complications.
Plaque starts to decalcify dentin, the layer under enamel, within 48 hours – which means you have a small window to get rid of plaque if you have missed one day of brushing. When you brush your teeth every day, you remove plaque from your teeth and protect them. If you miss brushing your teeth for a week, excess plaque will collect. The sticky food particles will build up, and your teeth will have a coating of plaque buildup and food particles. You will experience bad breath and other issues.
If you do not brush your teeth for a whole year, it is hard to predict what could happen. It also depends on your health and your immune system. You may be able to fight off some aspects of tooth decay if you have an active immune system. However, it is likely that you will have a year’s worth of plaque accumulation on your teeth and gums. This could cause cavities, gum disease, a pungent odor on your breath, and maybe even tooth loss.
Make sure you do not even miss a day of brushing your teeth because your natural adult teeth do not grow back!
Final Note
If you do not brush your teeth, what happens is plaque buildup, bacteria accumulation, food debris covering your teeth, and bad breath. The consequences could include bad breath, cavities, gum disease, tooth loss, and other health issues.
Integrity Dental is your trusted dental clinic for quality care. If you want optimal dental health, Dr. Viraj Shah and his dental team are here to help. Dial (586) 977-0300 to give us a ring!