It happens to the best of us: we’re busy or partying too hard, traveling, prioritizing, or feeling exhausted and we hop into bed at the end of the day without realizing that we forgot to brush our teeth. While we often correct ourselves and get up to brush, or at least brush in the morning, it’s really not recommended to go for days without cleaning your pearly-whites. Today, we’re taking a look at what could happen if you don’t brush your teeth for extended periods of time.
Day One
As we said above, not brushing for one day won’t kill your smile, but a thin layer of plaque will start to stick to the surfaces of your teeth. However, if you forget to brush your teeth the next day as well, you’ll start to notice your breath smelling pretty bad.
7 Days
One day won’t hurt, but seven days without cleaning your teeth can lead to a thick layer of plaque over your teeth. This plaque will also start to grow under the gums, which can lead to early signs of gingivitis. These signs also include redness, bleeding, or swelling gums. While not always painful at first, this is how it starts!
30 Days
After a month, the plaque on your teeth is laid on pretty thick now. At this point, they’ve already started the acidic process of breaking down your enamel. Your enamel is your first defense, protecting the softer inner core of nerve endings and blood vessels. The symptoms of gingivitis will worsen, and discoloring spots will appear on the surface of your teeth.
One Year
After a year has gone by of no brushing, flossing, and more, your saliva will start to turn against you. Saliva’s purpose is to wash away harmful bacteria and food particles, but without regular cleaning, and with the amount of sugar that people consume per day, your saliva can start working against your enamel. By now, the tooth decay can create deep pits and holes in your teeth, and your gums will be receding and feel very painful to contact.
How Can I Treat My Gum Disease?
While we can’t imagine anyone willingly going a month or more without brushing their teeth, we do understand that even the most vigilant patients with their dental care can end up showing signs of gum disease. While these can often be prevented with a cleaning and some light changes in dental habits, some cases of gum disease can descend into periodontitis, one of the worst forms of the disease.
Here at The Wagner Centre Implants & Periodontics, you can receive periodontal cleanings, both invasive and non-invasive, to get rid of affected tissues and improve the health of your gums. Board-certified periodontist Dr. Rebecca Wagner has years of experience under her belt helping patients just like you, and we believe that healthy gums make for a healthy smile.
Contact Us
Now that you can see how important it is to clean your teeth on a daily basis, contact us if you want some tips on how to best care for your smile. If you’re missing one or more teeth, we also offer quality dental implants to help complete any smile! Schedule a consultation today.
