What exactly happens if you don’t brush your teeth? We asked dentists about the short-term and long-term repercussions and they didn’t hold back on the potential (and very likely) consequences.
Dr. Fatima Khan, DMD, a dentist and the co-founder of Riven Oral Care, emphasizes that not only is it important to brush your teeth every day, it’s important to do it twice—both in the morning and at night.
Dr. Khan explains that brushing your teeth shortly after waking up helps remove this bacteria and also protects teeth from acids you’ll be consuming as a byproduct of your breakfast.
Related: Doing This One Thing Before Bed Can Stop Morning Breath, Dentists Say
Dr. Hiren Bhatt, DMD, a dentist at Alton Dental, agrees that it’s important to brush twice a day. “Failing to do either would leave plaque, food and bacteria on your teeth,” he says.
Related: The #1 Habit Dentists Want You to Skip for a Lifetime of Healthy. Teeth and Gums (It's Not Avoiding Sugar)
What Happens if You Don't Brush Your Teeth? How Quickly It Starts Impacting Oral Health
He adds that not brushing your teeth can cause this type of buildup and stains anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks—it’s that quick!
Not brushing your teeth will impact more than just your oral health, even early on.
She explains that when we swallow, there are strains of bacteria from the mouth that can affect gut health. “The acid in your stomach kills most bacteria, however, there are certain bacteria that can withstand the acidic environment. Those strains may pass the stomach and go to the intestines and colon and cause inflammation and dysbiosis of the gut,” she says, adding that this can contribute to inflammatory bowel disease.
Related: Dentists Are Begging You to Stop Making This Super Common Brushing Mistake
You know how Dr. Khan pointed out that not brushing your teeth leads to tartar buildup? She explains that tartar is hard to remove and can lead to gum disease, long-term. If it progresses, she says it can lead to gingival recession (AKA receding gums) and eventually tooth loss. “This will affect your overall function and aesthetics. Initially, you have bad breath, bleeding gums and tooth sensitivity before it progresses to tooth loss,” she shares.
As you can probably guess, not brushing your teeth can also cause cavities, which can take months to years to form, according to Dr. Khan.
As you can see, not brushing your teeth can lead to some very painful oral health issues as well as impact the rest of the body, increasing the risk for life-threatening conditions. With that in mind, it’s 100 percent worth it to spend two minutes in the morning and two minutes at night brushing your teeth. Having this habit in place does way more than keep your breath fresh; it’s contributing to your overall health, both now and in the future.
Related: There's a Surprising Connection Between Oral Health and Mental Health—Here's What to Know
Sources
Dr. Fatima Khan, DMD, dentist and the co-founder of Riven Oral CareDr. Hiren Bhatt, DMD, dentist at Alton Dental Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( What Happens if You Don’t Brush Your Teeth? )
Also on site :