You are here looking for the no BS answer to the question: What Happens If You Don’t Brush Your Teeth for A Year?
Since infancy, we have programmed ourselves to brush our teeth at least once every day.
There is no doubt that brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste is the most effective way to destroy bacteria and keep our mouths healthy.
However, are you curious about what happens if you don’t brush your teeth for a year? Look at it this way.
Every day you wake up, you always feel the urge to brush your teeth and eliminate the awful morning breath. What if you overlooked your brushing routine for a whole year?
Read on to glean fascinating information about brushing teeth and oral hygiene.
What Happens If You Don’t Brush Your Teeth for A Year?
Anything but nothing good is going to happen if you stop brushing your teeth for a year.
Every day while you eat food or after eating food, bacteria start accumulating inside your mouth.
When you brush or floss, you kill those bacteria and stop them from doing further damage to your teeth.
Now, if you stop washing those bacteria from your mouth, they will increase in number with time, and they will start digging deep into your gums and nerve cells.
At a point, they can cause a cavity which can even disrupt the nerve cells beneath your gums. And eventually, your teeth can fall off.
However, the condition of your teeth after not brushing for a year is also dependent on your food habit and the genes you carry.
Your teeth may get damaged, but your gums would be in better condition and vice-versa. A thick layer of plaque can get accumulated on the front and back surface of your teeth.
Moreover, your chance of catching a severe respiratory disease increases.
You may have very bad breath, and your teeth may start appearing yellow-blackish in color, which is not good for your personality.
Health Disease
Your mouth is an open portal to your internal organs. And if you don’t look after the opening, the inside parts may suffer. The following are some of the diseases that could develop.
1. Dental Cavity
Cavities can occur when the plagues can break the enamel to penetrate deep into the weaker portion of your teeth. This can cause a hole in your teeth and even sensitivity. If you leave this untreated, it can develop into an infection that can eventually cause tooth loss.
2. Gingivitis
It’s a type of gum disease that can cause due to poor oral health. And in extreme cases, your gums may bleed and can affect your bones. In addition, extreme cases of gingivitis can cause periodontitis. Periodontitis is a severe bone infection that affects the jaw bone and can cause tooth loss.
3. Heart Attack
Many researchers have shown that missing teeth or gum disorders stimulate heart diseases, and regular brushing and dental hygiene can reduce the risk.
4. Mouth and Stomach Ulcers
As far-fetched as it sounds, tooth decay and poor oral hygiene can cause ulcers that form under the gum line.
Moreover, Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers when it blows up, tend to hide in small reservoirs beneath the gums. Poor oral hygiene can cause this bacteria to flare up, exposing you to stomach ulcers.
Worst-case scenario, periodontitis and HPV can cause various types of mouth cancers. This is especially critical to smokers.
Oral Hygiene
Till now, it must have been clear to you that what happens if you don’t brush your teeth for a year.
But now, you must be wondering what the best oral hygiene routine is. It’s typical for individuals to have alternating opinions on what constitutes proper oral hygiene.
We have listed few habits that you must follow consistently to maintain your oral hygiene.
- Brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes to ensure you eliminate all plaque buildup.
- Floss everyday. You can consider using water flossing, an interdental toothbrush or dental picks if you don’t like using floss.
- Do not forget to use a mouth wash after brushing at least once a day.
- Do regular dental check-ups.
- Use fluoride-based toothpaste.
- Do not use tobacco products.
- Prefer an electric toothbrush over a standard toothbrush.
- Have a healthy diet.
- Wash your mouth thoroughly after every meal.
Conclusion
You don’t need to worry if you have forgotten to brush your teeth for a day. But it must be a habit that you never forget.
However, under the circumstances, it is not that harmful to skip one routine. But if you want your teeth to last longer, never dare to experiment on what happens if you don’t brush your teeth for a year.
The consequence is unexplainable. So be alert when it comes to your hygiene and not take any risk, as a pretty smile is the greatest thing you can share.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Can You Go Without Brushing Your Teeth?
It is not safe to go long without brushing. Even so, you can skip brushing for a day or two only. Do not extend more than that if you want stable dental health.
Is It Okay to Skip Brushing Your Teeth Once?
Yes, if you are not in a condition to brush your teeth for once, then it is okay. But you may suffer from bad breath, and the bacteria in your mouth may get some additional time to penetrate deep into your teeth.
Can A Dentist Tell If You Don’t Brush?
Yes, a dentist can tell a lot about your oral hygiene. He can detect diseases with only one check-up.
Is It Okay To Brush Your Teeth Once A Day?
Yes. Brushing your teeth once every day is sufficient to keep bacteria and cavities at bay and maintain good oral hygiene. Still, you have to do it properly with an ideal toothbrush and fluoride.