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.
