What Happens When You Don’t Brush Your Teeth Regularly

Practically everyone is aware that brushing is important, and that it is recommended you brush at least twice a day. But despite that many people are tempted to skip a brushing session every so often, or simply forget to brush.

Skipping a single brushing session isn’t the end of the world, but if it happens too frequently you could end up facing very real consequences. If you want to know some of the things that could happen when you don’t brush your teeth, here’s a list:

• Gum disease

The bacteria that will build up in your mouth could start to affect your gums making it inflamed and causing swelling and bleeding. That is the early stage of gum disease, and if not treated quickly it could rapidly progress into periodontal disease.

Over time periodontal disease could cause major issues, and may even start to affect your jaw bone.

• Bad breath

If you don’t brush there will inevitably be food debris left behind, as well as lots of plaque. That will make your breath smell in a way that is very off-putting.

The extent of bad breath will depend on many factors including the types of food you eat, your oral hygiene level, as well as other underlying issues that may be present.

• Cavities

As more and more plaque builds up on your teeth, more acid will be released. That acid will begin to erode the protective enamel that surrounds your teeth, and slowly start to cause tooth decay and cavities.

If nothing is done eventually the tooth decay will get worse and worse, up till the point where your teeth either fall off or need to be removed. Before that they may become very sensitive and painful too.

Also, see: 4 Reasons you should never miss a dental checkup

• Tartar

If plaque is not removed from your teeth quickly, it can calcify and become tartar. Unlike plaque which can be brushed off, tartar is much harder to remove and you’ll have to visit your Twyford dentist for a professional dental cleaning.

When there is tartar on your teeth they’ll become stained more easily, and more bacteria will get stuck to them. In the long term this can lead to further damage to your teeth.

Aside from these conditions, not brushing your teeth can lead to several other problems associated with poor oral hygiene. There are links between oral hygiene and heart disease, strokes, dementia, pneumonia, and much more.

Now that you know what could happen if you don’t brush your teeth – is it really worth skipping it? All said and done brushing should only take two minutes or so, and it is an easy way for you to avoid future troubles.

 If you find that you constantly forget to brush your teeth, you should find ways to remind yourself. Try to set an alarm on your phone, and make sure you pay close attention to it. The more consistent you are, the more quickly brushing your teeth will become a habit – and you’ll be less likely to forget it.