It’s one of the most basic habits you learn as a child, just like getting yourself dressed and tying your shoes: brushing your teeth. You know it’s important, but there are times when it’s tempting to skip it. Maybe you’re so tired that you just want to climb into bed and go to sleep. Or you get up in the morning and head straight for your coffee or matcha, not your toothbrush.
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.
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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.
“The reason why brushing first thing in the morning is a good idea is because there is an exponential growth of bacteria that accumulates in your mouth overnight,” she says.
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.
“Also, brushing increases saliva production, and that will continue to remineralize your teeth,” she adds.
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As for why it’s important to brush your teeth at night, Dr. Khan says this helps remove plaque and food particles from your teeth. “At night, our saliva flow decreases. Our saliva neutralizes acids and protects our teeth. If you do not brush at night, it gives plaque and bacteria the ideal opportunity to attack and break down the enamel,” she adds.
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.
Now that that’s settled comes the next question: What happens if you don’t do it?
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What Happens if You Don't Brush Your Teeth? How Quickly It Starts Impacting Oral Health
Dr. Bhatt says that the first effect not brushing your teeth will have is on your breath and how your teeth look. “Those who don't brush their teeth will develop bad breath, plaque and tartar accumulation and teeth stains first,” he explains.
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!
According to Dr. Khan, you’re going to notice the impact of not brushing your teeth very quickly, even before your teeth start appearing less white. “Initially if you skip brushing, you will form plaque, which is a sticky, fuzzy, bacterial film on your teeth within the first 24 hours. If you continue to neglect brushing the plaque can get calcified and harden and form tartar anywhere from 24 to 72 hours,” she says.
Not brushing your teeth will impact more than just your oral health, even early on.
“Our mouth is the gateway to your oral and overall health. We cannot sectionalize the oral cavity because it works synergistically with other organs in the body,” Dr. Khan says.
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.
Dr. Bhatt also emphasizes that not brushing your teeth impacts more than oral health. “We know that mouth bacteria can enter the bloodstream through the gums and travel to the rest of the body. Maintaining oral health is an important part of caring for overall health. All your nutrition comes through eating and drinking and good teeth are important for that,” he says.
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Consistently not brushing your teeth can lead to some pretty unpleasant—and serious—health consequences. “Eventually, cavities, tooth decay and gum disease will develop. Teeth and gums will become sensitive. You will likely develop gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss,” Dr. Bhatt says. He adds that this starts happening immediately after someone stops brushing their teeth and bacteria start to form, though it can take a few years for the impact to become severe.
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.
Dr. Khan also emphasizes that the bacteria associated with gum disease can enter the bloodstream and spread to other parts of the body, leading to various health problems, adding that this can include an increased risk for stroke and cardiovascular disease.
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.
“Initially, you will notice white spots and that is a sign of demineralization or a loss of calcium and phosphates from the tooth. Then, a hole can form, once the decay is in the inner layer known as the dentin it can spread faster. If it gets to the nerve you will then start feeling pain and will require root canal treatment,” she says.
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.
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Sources
Dr. Fatima Khan, DMD, dentist and the co-founder of Riven Oral CareDr. Hiren Bhatt, DMD, dentist at Alton Dental Read More Details
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