What happens if you skip your oral hygiene?

All of us have been raised to perform one basic oral routine everyday- brushing our teeth. More recently, brushing twice a day is being highlighted along with a few more habits including those of flossing and using a mouthwash.


However, people all over the world aren’t brushing enough and as a result, nearly 10% of those aged 50 to 64 years lose all their entire set of teeth, and not just one or two.

This brings us to the question, Why should we brush our teeth everyday!?


Here’s what happens if you don’t follow your oral hygiene routine

1. Build Up of Bacteria
   

A variety of bacteria like Streptococcus and a lot others dwell in our mouth. Our food is their food and they thrive on the sugars and proteins present in our food. Any leftover food in the mouth becomes their party place, which is actually dangerous for us. This leads to the formation of a slimy biofilm over our teeth.


2) Danger to the gums

The bacteria don’t just stay on the teeth, but they also live in the gums. After their party on the teeth, they multiply several times and move to the gums. Here, they cause inflammation and trigger the immune system, leading to a condition called Gingivitis. In the later stages, unhealthy gums form pockets in between the teeth which provides ample space for the bacteria to multiply and this leads to a more destructive condition- Periodontal disease.


3) Effect on General Health

The effect of not brushing isn’t just as limited as it seems. It has been found that periodontal disease increases the chances of chronic kidney disease by 4.5 times and can cause dementia in 65% of such cases. Apart from this, it can also lead to various oral cancers!


If you want to avoid all these complications, then don’t stay away from your toothbrush for long and embrace this oral hygiene routine- brush twice a day!