It's never too late to make your oral health a priority again, no matter how long you've been without dental care.
Most people who stop brushing their teeth will develop cavities (tooth decay) and/or periodontal disease (gum disease). Both can be painful and both can cause teeth to fall out.
Not brushing your teeth for ten years will put you at serious risk for health complications. Our oral health is crucial to fighting off certain types of bacteria and keeping us healthy. When the health of our teeth and gums suffer, things like pneumonia can be more common.
What happens if you don't brush your teeth for a month. At about a month, serious changes are taking shape. The most notable problem a person will have is the presence of gum disease. With the build-up of plaque at the gum line and below the gum line, an individual may notice some swelling and reddening.
Similarly to flossing, your dental team will also be able to tell if you don't brush your teeth often enough or even if you brush too hard. Those who don't brush the recommended two times a day will often have larger areas of tartar buildup and puffy, red gums.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing your beautiful smile twice a day. Skip a session, and you're on your way to encouraging the growth of bacterial buildup in the form of plaque, which can lead to cavities and even gum disease.
Consuming Certain Foods and Drinks
Other teeth-staining foods include coffee, citrus fruits and juices, soft drinks, teas, berries, tomato-based sauces, curry, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. Ingredients in these foods can seep into your enamel (the outermost covering of your teeth) and cause discoloration.
Unfortunately, neglecting his toothbrush ultimately led to his teeth becoming "caked in tartar, hardened food debris, and bacteria that's built up over 20 years of not brushing his teeth." It also hurt his confidence and put a damper on his dreams of becoming a physiotherapist.
A 21-year-old named Jay from the UK hasn't brushed his teeth in 20 years. He was featured in a recent episode of "Embarrassing Bodies." His teeth were "caked in tartar, hardened food debris, and bacteria that's built up over 20 years of not brushing his teeth."
What to Do if You Haven't Brushed Your Teeth in a While. If you've gotten out of the habit of brushing your teeth, whether it's been a few weeks, months, or longer, the first thing to do is replace your toothbrush and get back in the habit.
Prolonged time without brushing your teeth can cause tooth decay and gum disease to become more advanced, which can lead to receding gums and even tooth loss. Additional issues, including a higher risk for the onset of Alzheimer's disease, can be linked to high levels of unchecked bacteria in the mouth.
Once tooth enamel is damaged, it cannot be brought back. However, weakened enamel can be restored to some degree by improving its mineral content. Although toothpastes and mouthwashes can never “rebuild” teeth, they can contribute to this remineralization process.
Cavities. When you don't remove plaque, which is a sticky film containing bacteria coating the teeth it can begin to penetrate the protective enamel of your teeth, all the way down to the under layers… causing cavities. Untreated cavities then can cause infections that can in turn cause the loss of the tooth.
If You Want Your Teeth to Fall Out, Don't Brush Them
When left unchecked, periodontitis spreads to your jaw bone and creates spaces that can form pockets between your gums and teeth, causing your teeth to become loose. As your mouth is plagued by gum disease and cavities, your teeth will eventually fall out.
Tooth enamel does not grow back, but it can be restored to some degree by remineralization. Using mineralized toothpaste and mouthwash can strengthen your remaining enamel as the minerals will be drawn to the weak spots in your teeth and bond with the surface.
What Can Be Done to Whiten Yellow Teeth? If you're looking for a radical change in the coloring of your teeth, you need professional-grade whitening to get the job done. Your cosmetic dentist can provide treatment that penetrates deep into the enamel and removes years of stains with a powerful bleaching agent.
Brushing your teeth is meant to remove harmful bacteria and plaque but not to whiten them. As recommended by your dentist, brushing twice a day is vital because it prevents cavities and tooth decay. Brushing alone will not whiten your teeth, though, and even whitening toothpaste only has a minimal effect on your teeth.
For about two to six weeks, you can use dentist-recommended whitening toothpaste and brush twice a day. You can use a certified whitening mouthwash which usually takes about three months to produce visible results.
In fact, most experts say that even with just once-a-day brushing, it is already enough to keep bacteria and cavities at bay. Yes, you read it right. Brushing your teeth once a day is enough to maintain good oral health if it is done correctly.
Mouthwash Is a Short-Term Fix
And if breath isn't fresh after a good brushing, it typically means it's packed full of bacteria. Mouthwash doesn't remove the sticky plaque and bacteria that only a good brushing and flossing can.
Symptoms of tooth decay
tooth sensitivity – you may feel tenderness or pain when eating or drinking something hot, cold or sweet. grey, brown or black spots appearing on your teeth. bad breath. an unpleasant taste in your mouth.