Brushing teeth is vital for having healthy teeth and gums. You might think that if you do not clean your teeth once in a while, it is still ok, but your dentist might differ in their opinion. As per ADA (American Dental Association) you must clean your pearly whites for two minutes, twice a day. If you do not stick to this plan, you might end up having severe oral issues.

It might not be so disastrous to skip brushing your teeth every once in a while. But if you make it a habit, you are in danger of plaque buildup, which could harden into tartar and tartar cannot be eradicated by normal toothbrushes and needs professional help. 

We generally have plaque buildup throughout the day, though we might not realize it. Plaque is a thin film of bacteria that develops on your teeth when you eat to drink something. Brushing disrupts the growth of bacteria so that it does not stay on your teeth or gums. But if it is left in place for a longer time, it starts attacking our dentitions. This could lead to gum inflammation and bleeding gums.

Let us find out more about all the dental issues you can end up with if you do not brush your teeth as per your dentist’s recommendations.

Dental Problems Associated With Not Brushing Teeth Regularly

Your mouth is a gateway to many other health issues, which are not limited to just your teeth. A bad oral regime could lead to severe ailments such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and much more. Listed below are some of the potential problems that can arise (with your teeth and the rest of your body) if you are not cleaning your pearly whites properly.

1. Dental Issues

• Cavities – Cavities are the most common oral problem associated with poor dental care. When you do not clean your mouth regularly the bacteria which naturally exist in your mouth, start feeding on food debris and release acid. This acid then wears down the hard protective covering of our dentitions called enamels, resulting in tooth decay. All this leads to cavities that, if left untreated, can further cause other dental infections or even tooth loss.
• Gingivitis – Plaque on our pearly whites, if not cleaned properly, can lead to gingivitis which is a mild form of gum disease. The plaque has microorganisms that inflame and irritate the gums causing our gums to become red, sensitive, and even start bleeding often. Your gum might recede due to gingivitis causing tooth loss.
• Periodontitis – Periodontitis is a severe form of periodontal or gum disease that is often a result of not brushing your teeth as often as you should. When gingivitis is not treated at an early stage, the plaque hardens and becomes tartar and providing an environment for bacteria to thrive. These bacteria can then invade your gums or even cause bone infection. When the bone supporting your pearly whites is weakened, you are more prone to lose teeth.
• Bad breath – The bacteria that cause cavities in our teeth is also responsible for giving off a pungent smell resulting in bad mouth odor.

1. Other Health Issues

• Coronary artery disease – If you have gum disease, you are twice more likely to get coronary artery disease which is a form of heart disease. The bacteria from your mouth having inflammatory markers can enter your bloodstream, which can cause blockages and clots that can cause heart attacks.
• Dementia – As per research, those of us who do not brush our teeth regularly had sixty-five percent higher chances of developing dementia. Bacteria linked with poor oral hygiene can make their way up to our brains through vessels connected to our jaw. It has been found that patients with Alzheimer’s have the bacteria P.Gingivalis more often than those without this disease.
• Diabetes – Those with diabetes are more likely to have gum disease. If you have poor oral health, it increases the risk of insulin resistance which can worsen your diabetic condition due to inflammation
• Pneumonia – Without proper dental hygiene, there is an overgrowth of bacteria in the mouth, and there is also a possibility of inhaling these bacteria into the lungs. Once these microbes reach your lungs, they can cause pneumonia. Research has shown that improving the oral hygiene of hospital patients results in a forty percent reduction in hospital-acquired pneumonia conditions.
• Complications in pregnancy – If you do not maintain proper oral hygiene you risk having premature delivery, a lower birth rate, and an infant more prone to developing cavities. The bacteria and inflammation in our mouths can colonize the placenta through the pregnant women’s bloodstream. Systemic inflammation due to poor dental health can also induce preterm labor.

Complications’ Timelines

Though there are not many people who would give up brushing their teeth for a week to participate in research, researchers can make extremely accurate guesses about what happens if you do not brush for a certain duration of time.

• One day – Dental plaque starts decalcifying dentin (the protective material below the enamel) within forty-eight hours. So, you are left with a small window of time to eradicate plaque before it begins penetrating and damaging your pearly whites.
• One week – Besides the bad odor, excess plaque starts weakening tooth enamel. The food debris continues to add up and your dentition would feel like a “sweater” with all the plaque buildup.
• One year – Though it is not easy to predict what would happen if you do not brush your teeth for a year, it will most likely cause cavities, periodontitis, or tooth loss. It also depends on your overall health and how good your immune system is to fight off some of the elements that cause tooth decay. 

Though there is no reason to panic if you miss brushing your teeth once in a while, it is always good to not let it become a habit. Dentists recommend brushing twice and flossing once a day and if you stick to this regime you would most probably ward off any kind of dental issues.