What Happens If You Don't Brush Your Teeth?

What’s covered?

A daily routine including brushing twice is very critical for the health of your teeth.

Brushing the teeth twice daily should be a part of your routine. While a lot of healthcare practitioners recommend strictly following this routine and making it a habit to visit the dentist at least every six months, a lot of people may skip it. According to dentalhealth.org, a quarter (25%) of British citizens don't brush their teeth before going to bed.

What would be the consequences? Skipping a brush after a few days may not be so harmful, but it would be a different story if you don’t brush your teeth for a very long period. Here are some of the most apparent health issues caused by poor oral health.

Bad breath

Bad breath (halitosis) is a sign of oral disease. A lot of food particles remain in your mouth (mostly trapped in your teeth) after every meal. While gargles can remove most of them, very fine particles persist. The bacteria will capitalise on this opportunity and will start to grow. These bacteria produce foul-smelling gases which will spoil your breath and make your partner uncomfortable with you. Bad breath also negatively influences your social standing.

Ulcers in the stomach and mouth

Helicobacter pylori, the cause of stomach ulcers and stomach cancer enters from the oral route. People with poor oral hygiene often are positive for H. pylori in addition to other oral health issues. A 2009 study published in the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology found that people who do not brush their teeth regularly or have periodontal disease (gum disease) have a higher occurrence of H pylori in stomach and dental plaque.

The bacteria feeding on the food particles also produce acid that will corrode the inner skin of the mouth causing mouth sores and ulcers.

Oral cancer

Some studies have found that gum disease creates a favourable environment for the growth of human papillomavirus, the causative agent of oral cancer. While various other oral health conditions have been associated with HPV e.g., smoking but reduced oral health seems to have a significant role.

Periodontal disease and tooth loss

If you are not brushing away the dangerous bacteria in your mouth regularly, they can accumulate in the plagues and produce acids that will dissolve your teeth' enamel and produce cavities. These cavities can also lead to tooth loss.

Poor oral health and bleeding gums

Gingivitis is the severe infection of gums which is caused by bacteria. These bacteria present in the plaques will ultimately cause gingivitis leading to very painful and bleeding gums. Pregnant women experience gingivitis more than non-pregnant ones. That's why they can experience more bleeding gums.

Oral health and heart diseases

The link is very distant but some researchers have linked regularly missing brushing to more chances of getting diabetes and heart diseases. A recent study in 2021 has found that a lack of proper oral care can increase the risk of death due to any health problems including death by heart diseases.

What can you do to improve oral hygiene?

Here are some of the suggestions for improved oral hygiene.

• Brush your teeth at least for 2 minutes twice daily. Visit a dentist regularly at least every 6 months.

• Floss at least once a day. Water flossing or dental picks can be used

• Visit your dentist every six months. You can increase the frequency of visits if desired.

• Quit smoking as it increases the chances of tooth decay.

• Use a healthy diet having an excess of fresh fruits, and vegetables and limit the use of sugar (which is a favourite food for tooth-damaging bacteria).

• Use fluorinated water and mouth rinse as fluoride is very important for your teeth

For a full range of products, visit our Welzo Online Pharmacy Page. For more details, click here.