What happens when you don’t brush your teeth? These are the consequences

Created: September 29, 2022 | Updated: April 8, 2023

Table of contents

- These are the consequences of not brushing your teeth

Bad breath

Tooth plaque and tartar

Tooth decay and cavities

Gum problems

High dental bills

Problems with your health

- Tips to prevent poor oral hygiene

What happens when you don’t brush your teeth? Good oral hygiene is very important. Fortunately, there are many steps you can already take yourself to contribute to this. A good first step is brushing your teeth with a toothbrush. Forgetting to brush your teeth once can happen, but what are the consequences of not brushing your teeth regularly or at all?

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These are the consequences of not brushing your teeth

You’d be surprised how many people don’t brush their teeth daily or don’t mind skipping a brushing once. But this is definitely not something we should be laconic about. Brushing your teeth properly is hugely important for not only your teeth, but also your overall health. This is because if you don’t brush your teeth properly, bacteria can build up in your mouth. What starts out as a minor complaint can escalate enormously and various problems can arise in your mouth. These include not only plaque and cavities but also inflammation. We will discuss these and other consequences below.

Bad breath

Bad breath can happen very quickly if you do not brush your teeth or do not brush them properly. Food particles are left behind in your mouth, for instance between the molars. Over time, this can start to rot and cause an unpleasant odour.

Tooth plaque and tartar

Those leftover food particles we mentioned above can cause even more problems. These include plaque and tartar. Plaque consists of food particles and bacteria that settle in your mouth. This in turn has the effect that you will erode your tooth enamel. It’s a snowball effect, the problems will only get worse.

Tooth decay and cavities

When your tooth enamel is affected too much, tooth erosion and cavities occur. As you can see, what starts with not brushing very quickly escalates into bigger problems.

Gum problems

Tooth decay and cavities cause problems in the gums. Poor oral hygiene will make your gums more sensitive, making them more susceptible to bacteria. These bacteria settle in your mouth and will cause various problems, including problems with your gums.

High dental bills

Who enjoys going to the dentist? This is already generally not a pleasant activity, but coming home with a high bill is not something to look forward to either. The worse you will take care of your teeth, the more likely it is that problems will arise. And the more problems that arise, the more work the dentist will have to do to get your oral health back in order. And you guessed it, the more work involved, the higher the bill will be.

Problems with your health

Apart from the health in your mouth, poor teeth and oral hygiene can also cause problems in the rest of your body. This is something many people often don’t think about. It is scientifically proven that poor oral health increases the risk of diseases throughout your body. It starts with something small like gum disease. This creates different bacteria that can now move freely throughout your body. You are at risk of pneumonia, cardiovascular diseases and arteriosclerosis.