Whether you’re a regular patient, haven’t been to the dentist in years, or are a dentist yourself, we’ve all done it. Sometimes, you come back from an exhausting day at the office or school and just crash, or you fall asleep at your friend’s and don’t have a toothbrush. Regardless of the circumstances, almost everybody has skipped brushing at least once. But how acceptable is this habit? What potential consequences does it pose to your dental health? If you’re looking for the answers to these questions, read on to find out more.
The Consequences of Skipping Brushing
Whether it’s a once in a while activity, or a frequent bad habit, skipping brushing can have detrimental consequences to the well-being of your dental health. Below are some of the possible bad effects of poor oral hygiene routines.
-
Bacteria Are Always Multiplying — Even if you keep up with your brushing, bacteria are never entirely eliminated from the surfaces of your teeth and your mouth. As a result, bacteria are always multiplying to replace themselves. By brushing regularly, you ensure that bacteria are always on the defense trying to replace the one’s you eliminated through brushing. If you skip a couple nights, this allows bacteria to get on the offense and produce more acidic byproducts that cause tooth decay.
-
Disruption of Repairing Processes — Your teeth aren’t defenseless in the fight against tooth decay; every night your teeth perform functions that help to deter the spread of tooth decay and restore the strength of teeth that have been weakened. Among these processes is the remineralization of teeth and the formation of biofilms on the surface. However, if excess food is not removed through brushing, the efficiency of these processes is compromised, and simply not as effective.
-
Formation of Tartar (Calculus) — Tartar (also known as “dental calculus”) is a more severe form of plaque that is difficult to remove. In many cases, tartar is only removable by a seasoned dental professional, and not by regular brushing. Unfortunately, plaque can mineralize into tartar in a little over 24 hours, meaning all it takes is a day of skipped brushing for tartar to form and cause difficulties in upholding peak dental health.
So, Is Skipping All That Bad?
As members of a team of dental professionals, we should be obligated to tell you to always be a paragon of great dental health. That being said, we recognize that sometimes emergencies arise or a day of exhaustion leads to lapses of memory or laziness. The important thing is that you do not allow skipping to become a habit. Skipping once in a while is probably not going to cause cavities, but if this becomes a daily or even weekly activity — you might notice potential negative consequences for your oral hygiene.
If you have any questions at any time for our team, or would simply like to schedule an appointment contact Noble Smile Family & Cosmetic Dentistry today to get in touch with our staff!