The Dangers of Not Brushing Your Teeth Every Day

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When you skip your routine of brushing your teeth, it won’t just leave you with horrible breath the next morning. It’ll also open the door for common oral health problems to develop and the start of a bad habit. Each morning and night this happens, you’re leaving your mouth vulnerable to harmful oral bacteria that can cause you serious trouble in the future. Your dentist in Marietta wants to help save you the hassle of invasive treatments and unplanned emergency visits down the road. Read on to learn about the dangers of not brushing your teeth every day.

What Happens When You Don’t Brush For 24 Hours?

Did you know that 23 percent of adults brush only once each day according to a survey conducted by Simply Health in 2019? Routine oral hygiene and regularly clearing your mouth of bacteria and plaque should always be an essential part of your daily life, no matter your age. We’ve all been in a position where we either forgot to or chose not to brush our teeth at least once in order to squeeze in an extra few minutes of sleep.

Making this decision allows plaque to buildup and attack your mouth, causing the accumulation of harmful oral bacteria. When you don’t brush for a day, your mouth won’t just feel gross and dry, but you will also notice a sticky feeling as well. This is the formation of what’s called a biofilm, which is a layer of food debris and bacteria coating your teeth that produces an acid that erodes your enamel. Each time you skip brushing, you’re welcoming dangerous oral health problems in your life that can eventually result in tooth loss.

What Oral Health Problems Will Develop From Not Brushing?

Everyone’s mouth is different and there are a variety of factors that go into the development of oral health problems. However, when you don’t brush and floss routinely, your mouth is extra susceptible to these issues:

  • Gum Disease. When you don’t regularly clear your mouth of plaque, it can cause the accumulation of bacteria that release toxins that harm your gums and teeth. Serious symptoms like redness, bleeding, swelling, and irritation can begin developing in just a matter of a few days without proper oral hygiene. Once this condition progresses, the symptoms become irreversible and can result in receding gums and tooth loss.
  • Bad Breath. When bacteria feed on sugars trapped on your teeth, they release waste like sulfites that cause bad breath.
  • Cavities and Dental Decay. The acid released by bacteria in your mouth erode enamel, the hard-mineral structure formed from calcium that protects your teeth, and leaves them vulnerable to cavities and decay.

How Can You Preserve Your Smile?

Recent studies have contributed poor oral hygiene to an increased risk of developing health conditions such as respiratory problems, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s, making it more important than ever to keep up with a thorough and effective oral hygiene routine. You can do this by brushing twice each day for at least two minutes, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist in Marietta every six months for professional checkups and cleanings. Your body will thank you when you make the effort to take care of it!

Reclaim Your Beautiful Smile
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