What Happens When You Don’t Brush Your Teeth?

We have it drilled into us from as soon as we’re able to brush our teeth ourselves as children how important it is that you brush your teeth twice a day. But what happens when you just… Don’t brush your teeth? The truth is that while missing a brushing here and there likely isn’t a huge deal, there’s a reason why you shouldn’t skip out on brushing your teeth. Here’s what you need to know about what happens when you don’t brush your teeth and why it’s so important for your health, both oral and overall.

Why Do You Need To Brush Your Teeth?

With how much brushing your teeth becomes just a part of your ingrained routine, sometimes we forget why it’s so important in the first place. Many of us are guilty of knowing we should brush our teeth twice a day, but we either only brush once daily or we habitually skip brushing. Other people don’t brush much at all, because so long as your teeth look fine, they must be fine, right?

Not brushing your teeth results in more than bad breath. The truth is that there are many problems that can result when you don’t brush your teeth. Your mouth is full of bacteria, some that are good and some that need to be removed with twice daily brushing. When you don’t brush your teeth, this bacteria can cause serious issues for your oral health, such as tooth decay, gum disease, and more. 

What Happens When You Don’t Brush Your Teeth?

Even missing one of your two daily brushings can lead to plaque buildup, though you typically don’t need to worry about serious consequences from one night of collapsing into bed without brushing your teeth first. When you don’t brush your teeth regularly, though, that’s when you’ll run into some serious problems, not just for your oral health, but for your health as a whole.

Here’s what you need to know about the problems that can arise when you don’t brush your teeth.

Dental Problems

As you can imagine, there are many different dental problems that can occur when you don’t brush your teeth. These include:

• Bad Breath. As you can imagine, when you don’t brush your teeth, it leads to bad breath. It’s part of why we brush every morning, to freshen up our breath. This is because brushing removes the bacteria that can cause pungent breath. 
• Cavities. The same bacteria that causes bad breath can lead to cavities, because it releases acids that cause your tooth enamel to wear down, leading to tooth decay and cavities.
• Gum Disease. When you don’t brush your teeth or floss, you could also end up with gum disease, which is an infection of your gum tissues and can lead to further health issues if left untreated, such as diabetes.
• Tooth Loss. If you don’t brush your teeth, you could also have to worry about tooth loss, due to either tooth decay or gum disease or both. 

Health Problems

Many people don’t realize that your oral health impacts your overall health. If you don’t brush your teeth, you could end up with some serious health problems that extend beyond your mouth. Some health problems that have been linked to poor oral health include:

• Diabetes. When you have a gum disease, this can result in your blood sugar rising, which can make your diabetes harder to control.
• Heart Disease. Dental issues are associated with an increased risk for heart-related complications and conditions. 
• Pneumonia. People who don’t brush their teeth regularly are more likely to suffer respiratory infections. 
• Pregnancy Issues. Pregnancy already causes dental issues of its own; if you don’t brush your teeth, this could worsen them, such as gum disease.
• Ulcers. Poor oral health can lead to ulcers in your mouth and stomach.

These are but a few of the many problems that can arise when you don’t brush your teeth. It’s essential that you practice good oral hygiene to keep yourself in good health. If you need assistance with brushing or flossing techniques or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your dentist. They’re there to help you, and will do whatever they can to help you maintain good oral health. 

Keep Yourself Healthy With Good Oral Hygiene

Gunnell Family Dentistry understands that it can be tempting to skip brushing your teeth here and there, especially if you’re tired or busy. However, maintaining good oral hygiene is essential. If you have any questions about what happens when you don’t brush your teeth or if you need to set up a dental cleaning, contact us today! We’re here to help.