3 Weird Things That Happen When You Forget to Brush Your Teeth
Aug 22, 2017
Just about everyone knows how important it is to brush your teeth, and hopefully, everyone is brushing their teeth at least two times a day. Every now and again, however, some of you may find that you forgot to brush your teeth before bed or even went a whole day without brushing! Well, this may happen to the best of us, but it is important to understand what may be happening in your mouth when you skip a brush.
While forgetting to brush is not the end of the world and certainly won’t mean you’ll wake up with completely rotten teeth, it can do some serious damage to your mouth with as little as one day. In some cases, patients think they can skip a brushing session – or make up for it – by using gum or mouthwash. Yes, these products can assist in maintaining a clean and healthy mouth, but they are no substitute for good old-fashioned brushing.
As you may know, brushing your teeth is one of the number-one ways to limit the amount of bacteria and plaque that builds up in your mouth. Harmful bacterias in the mouth can cause your oral health to decline, leading to things like gingivitis or periodontitis. Here are some things that can begin to occur in your mouth when you go without brushing.
1. Tooth decay
When you go without brushing, the bacteria in your mouth can put you at risk for tooth decay, can lead to much more serious conditions such as cavities or gum disease. Even in as little as one night, you can put your mouth at risk for developing the first stages of a cavity or gingivitis.
2. Plaque Buildup
Plaque is that yellow, sticky substance that develops on your teeth. Brushing helps to remove it from the surface of the mouth and between the teeth. When you go without brushing, it can turn into tartar – the hard, yellow substance that develops in between your teeth. This can cause your gums to bleed and, in the long run, put you at risk for tooth loss.
3. Bad Breath
Morning breath is an almost unavoidable thing, right? It happens to almost everyone. But leaving your mouth unbrushed can cause that harmful bacteria to spread, and it can even cause halitosis, or chronic bad breath.
Your mouth is a very powerful organ that can even let you know when there are more serious issues developing in your body. Conversely, however, if you have an unhealthy mouth, you may be putting yourself at a greater risk of developing serious health problems, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
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The best way to keep your teeth happy, healthy, and free from harmful bacteria is by maintaining a regular brushing routine. The first step to ensuring this is choosing the right kind of toothbrush. This can make a big difference in your ability to successfully detach most bacteria and plaque from the mouth, making it easier to rinse them out of your mouth. Dr. Beaufils highly recommends incorporating flossing and rinsing into your routine as well, as they can help to strengthen your oral health and help prevent that harmful bacteria from forming overnight.
Keep in mind, you shouldn’t only be brushing your teeth before bed. You should be brushing twice a day for two minutes each time in order to maintain optimum dental health care, according to Dr. Beaufils. Brushing your teeth in the morning can help to wash away and left over bacteria that has spread as you slept, leaving your mouth clean and your breath fresh for the day to come.
Life can be hectic, and we are only human, after all! It is understandable to have days where you forget to do the most basic things, like eat – or even brush. If you or a loved one forgot to brush last night, it is not the end of the world! Be sure to brush your teeth as soon as you remember, or first thing in the morning when you wake up. If you know you won’t be able to get to a bathroom or toothbrush in time to brush your teeth that evening for whatever reason, avoid consuming sugary foods or foods high in acids. They can erode your teeth and feed those damaging bacteria that can cause your gums to swell, cavities to form, your breath to smell, and your overall dental health to begin to decline.
At Beaufils Dental, we work with patients to understand their unique dental needs and offer a complete dentistry solution to correct any issues and nurse their mouth back to optimal health.
If you find that you forget to brush every now and then, a teeth cleaning procedure by Dr. Beaufils may benefit you. When performed by an expert dentist, a teeth cleaning can help to eliminate any nasty germs, bacteria, plaque, and tartar buildup that has developed in those hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. We also offer a number of family restorative and preventive dental solutions to suit the needs of patients of all ages.