What Happens If You Go to Bed Without Brushing Your Teeth?

Skipping that second brushing means that everything you have eaten throughout the day stick around on and between your teeth, leaving bacteria to feast on your teeth overnight. This bacteria naturally resides in the mouth, and just like every other living organism, these bacteria excrete waste after a meal. This waste is highly acidic and breaks down tooth enamel, causing cavities. And let’s not forget: Your breath will smell really bad. Not brushing your teeth lets bacteria multiply inside your mouth, eventually leading to a buildup of fuzzy, foul-smelling plaque.

When you hit the hay without brushing, plaque starts to harden on your teeth. Once this happens, it’s impossible to remove with a toothbrush and floss and can only be removed by visiting your dentist for a teeth cleaning.

What’s the worst that could happen?

Besides cavities, the build-up of plaque can lead to gum disease. The first sign is inflammation. You’ll have gums that bleed when you brush or floss. The gums see plaque buildup as an infection, so your immune system springs into action to attack that infection. When plaque build-up and inflammation is present long-term it can cause damage. By attacking the plaque buildup, your body starts to destroy the healthy tissues that hold your teeth in place, making the gums begin to pull away from the tooth. The good news is, if caught early enough, it can be reversed by treatment from your dentist and sticking to a good oral health routine.

This isn’t something that is going to happen overnight. The buildup of plaque that causes gum disease takes around 24 to 48 hours to develop, so if you forget to brush your teeth before bed every once in a while, it’s okay. Brushing your teeth the next morning will disrupt the bacteria before it gets a chance to really screw up your teeth and gums. But, if you make a habit of not brushing and flossing before bed, cavities and gum disease is definitely in your future.

BOTTOM LINE: BRUSHING YOUR TEETH ONCE A DAY ISN'T GOING TO CUT IT.

Tooth Decay and How to prevent it

Getting a cavity isn’t something you enjoy experiencing, and yet, it happens to almost everyone at least once. Cavities occur as a result of tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when foods containing carbohydrates such as breads, cereals, milk, soda, fruits, cakes, or candy are left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth digest these foods, turning them into acids. The bacteria, acid, food debris and saliva combine to form plaque, a whitish, sticky substance, that accumulates on and clings to the teeth and gums. The acids in plaque dissolve the enamel surface of the teeth, creating holes in the teeth called cavities. Tooth decay can affect both the enamel(the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin (inner layer of the tooth) and in some cases extend into the pulp (nerve).

Cavities can cause the enamel, protective part of the tooth, to weaken a break. Because of all the damage they can cause to your teeth, cavities should never go untreated.

Treating Cavities

There are several ways to go about treating cavities, depending on how bad the decay is.

• If you catch the decay early enough, a fluoride varnish applied to the affected teeth will be enough to stop the decay in its tracks.
• If you’ve already got a cavity, your dentist will have to remove the decay and fill the hole with a filling.
• If the decay has damaged your tooth’s nerve center, you may need a root canal to remove the nerve and restore it with crown.
• If your tooth is severely damaged, it may need to be removed.
  
  

Depending on the damage, there are varying degrees of procedures which one can undergo to fix a wide range of damage to the teeth. Using fillings, composites, alloys, ceramics, and crowns and bridges, we can restore the health, look, and feel of your teeth!

Preventing Cavities

So how can you protect your teeth from cavities? Floss regularly and brush with fluoridated toothpaste.You can also remove leftover food from your teeth by rinsing with water after a meal or snack. And, as always, seeing your dentist twice a year will prevent and catch cavities before they cause too much trouble!

5 Reasons to Opt for Cosmetic Dentistry

When it comes to looking your best, your smile does say a lot about you to other people. If you have broken, misshapen, or decayed teeth, it can have a significant impact on your personal life and more.
When you think of cosmetic dentistry, you may think that it is something reserved for celebrities or the rich, but that’s not the case. Thanks to advancements in technology and materials, cosmetic dentistry has become more affordable to the public and is steadily growing in popularity. In fact, there is a wide range of treatments offered today and they are all geared towards one end result… helping patients achieve a beautiful smile.

If you are at crossroads about having cosmetic dentistry, here are 5 reasons why you should take the bold step today.

A Little Cosmetic Dentistry Can go a Long WaySome of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures, such as teeth whitening, are simple and easy to do, but they can have dramatic results.
Raise Your Self-Esteem
Self-confidence is the key to taking charge of your life – and a wonderful smile can be the much-needed boost you need to help you gain a new lease on life.
Competitively Priced
Cosmetic dentistry is now very affordable and you can achieve your dream look without necessarily breaking the bank. All the available options are offered at very competitive rates which most people can afford.
Retains Facial Structure
Missing teeth can lead to sagging and premature aging. Replacing teeth will lend your facial structure additional support and preserve your appearance.
Can Make You More Attractive
According to match.com 85% of people surveyed stated that bad teeth are one of the biggest turn off’s. There is a wide array of cosmetic dentistry options to choose from that will best suit your needs and improve your smile.

Why is Dental Health Important?

Having a healthy mouth is more than just having attractive teeth. Oral health touches every aspect of our lives. If you think about it, our mouth is one of the parts of our body that is almost always in constant use. We use it to eat, talk, breathe, etc. Practicing good dental health is important to maintaining a healthy mouth, teeth, and gums, but, it’s not just about looks. We also need our teeth to hold the shape of our face, the lips, and cheeks,to speak properly and clearly, and they help to chew foods for your well-being.

What happens if I don’t practice good dental health?

When the plaque is not removed, it continues to build up and eventually causes tooth decay and gum disease.Cavities are painful places on your teeth where decay has eaten through the enamel and exposed a tooth’s root. Hot or cold food or liquids can send a painful signal that something is wrong. However, cavities may not have any symptoms until after significant damage to the tooth. Early signs of tooth decay are easier to treat than advanced cases. If a cavity goes untreated, root canals, removal of teeth and other more expensive and invasive procedures could become the only treatment options available. This is why regular visits to your dental professional are so important.

How to properly brush your teeth

Daily brushing and flossing is probably one of the most important things you can do to protect your teeth because it removes plaque and debris. Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and floss at least once per day.

Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums. Gently brush in a circular motion. Brush the outer surfaces, inner surfaces, and chewing surfaces of the teeth. This will take about 2 minutes. Then brush the tongue by using a sweeping motion with the toothbrush or by using a tongue scraper. Once you are done brushing, it is important to clean the sides of the teeth with dental floss or other interdental brush. You can also rinse with an antibacterial mouth rinse.

Should I only worry about cavities?

Besides tooth decay, there are many problems that can arise by not taking the time to strive for a healthy mouth.A common complication of poor oral health is gum disease, which can be mild in the initial stages, but lead to much more severe problems if untreated. Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth. It is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. If not caught early and left untreated, it progresses to periodontal disease, which may cause loss of teeth, infections and other complications. Regular dental check-ups and cleanings, brushing and flossing are vital to preventing gum disease and periodontitis.

Your dental health can influence your overall health and well-being

There is a direct relationship between the health of your mouth and your overall physical health. Experts say that certain diseases can first show their presence in the mouth and studies have indicated a link between periodontal disease and other health problems including heart complications, strokes, diabetes complications, and respiratory issues.A dental cleaning every six months helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy and could possibly reduce your risk of many health concerns.

New Patient Offer!

If you're looking for a new dentist, we have an offer for you. Become a new Pacific Northwest Smiles patient and well invest in your oral health by giving you a free Sonicare toothbrush - a $180 value!
The Sonicare electric toothbrush's unique cleaning action gently and effectively reaches deep between teeth and along the gumline. Its patented Sonic Technology removes up to two times more plaque and stains on your teeth than a manual toothbrush. Giving you a whiter, brighter smile!
New patients have the opportunity to take home a brand new Sonicare electric toothbrush at no extra charge when they schedule a new patient visit whit exam, x-rays, and cleaning at the regular price. Call our office in Mill Creek at (425) 357-6400 for more details.

One-Visit Dental Restorations

CEREC is a breakthrough 3-D imaging and milling technology that allows Dr. Greenhalgh to create perfectly fitting and color-matched crowns and tooth restorations out of high-grade porcelain.

Because the high-tech CEREC machine is right here in our office, replacing an outside dental lab, your CEREC restorations can be done in a single office visit, requiring no temporaries and no return visit.

Same Day Dental Crowns

At Pacific Northwest Smiles, Dr. Darren Greenhalgh offers his patients same day dental crowns. Same day dental crowns are named so because of the CEREC systems advanced camera and milling technology. This technology allows Dr. Greenhalgh to design, fabricate and place a dental crown in a single visit.

See how Dr. Greenhalgh enhanced a patient's smile here!