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

We know you’re a busy person with a full time job, a family, and household chores that don’t do themselves. So every now and then you fall to bed exhausted.By the time you begin to drift off, you remember you didn’t brush your teeth before bed. You may think to yourself, “Okay, how bad can it be to only brush once a day?”.

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.

How Tooth Decay Affects Your Tooth

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!
  
  

Dental Services at Idlewild Family Dentistry

At Idlewild Family Dentistry, we provide a wide range of dental treatments and oral health services. Asa full-service dental practice, we provide treatments in the many fields of dentistry.

General Dentistry A general dentist monitors and treats your overall oral health care needs. This includes routine exams and cleanings, fillings, root canals, crowns, dentures, bonding, gum care and preventative education. These are only a few services among many that are offered by your primary dental care provider.

Cosmetic Dentistry You may find that many general dentists also provide cosmetic dental procedures as well. It takes years of continuing education and extensive training for a dentist to gain the knowledge and skills to perform cosmetic dental procedures to the highest standards.These procedures are designed to enhance the smile. Common cosmetic dental procedure are veneers, teeth whitening, porcelain laminates and complete smile makeovers.

Family Dentistry This type of dentistry accommodates the dental care needs of the entire family. It addresses the oral health care needs at every stage of life. It is a convenient choice if you have children.

Orthodontics Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that corrects dental irregularities such as misaligned and crooked teeth, an overbite or underbite and gapped teeth. Premier Family Dentistry offers Invisalign clear plastic aligners as well as traditional metal braces.

Tooth Replacement There are several options to replace missing teeth. The most traditional options are dentures, a partial denture and bridges.Dental Implants are a great option because they are the closest you can get to the look and function of natural teeth.

We understand that accidents happen. Oftentimes, emergency rooms are not equipped to properly treat injuries such as a knocked out tooth or a severe toothache. That is why we committed to providing your family with immediate treatment for a dental emergency.

The Importance of Tooth Enamel

The toughest substance in your body isn't your bones its your dental enamel.As the most mineralized substance in your body, tooth enamel is layer upon layer of minerals that protect the inner portions of your teeth from damage and decay. While dental enamel is the strongest substance in your body, it is not invincible. Enamel can erode and break down over time, especially after prolonged exposure to acids and build-up bacteria known as plaque and can be subject to chipping and cracking.It’s important to go to the dentist as soon as possible when you experience tooth pain, as well as get regular checkups so that you can stop enamel problems before they get more serious.

If your dental enamel has small cracks in it, you may experience pain when eating something hot, cold or sugary as these substances are known to affect your tooths nerves. When tooth enamel starts to break down, it is difficult, if not impossible, to grow back. That is why protecting your dental enamel is vital to keeping your teeth healthy and cavity-free. It’s important to have a thorough teeth cleaning to remove built-up bacteria every 6 months.

The enamel on your teeth is very important because it protects teeth from damage and allows you to eat foods without hurting the sensitive dentin and nerves inside your teeth. As long as you take good care of your enamel, your teeth will continue to be protected for years to come.

We've Moved!

Dr. Dhulab and the team at Idlewild Family Dentistry are excited to announce the opening of our new location in Indian Trail, NC. We are only a short 10 minute drive from our Idlewild Rd. office. Our goal has been to offer the highest quality service and dental treatment to our patients and we hope you will continue to regard us as your dental care provider!

Our new address is4801 Indian Trail Fairview Rd, Indian Trail, NC 28079
You can still reach us by phone at the same number:(704) 893-0351

Click here to get directions to our new location!

WHEN SHOULD MY CHILD BEGIN BRUSHING THEIR TEETH?

Oral health is important even before the first tooth erupts. When your child is an infant, gently clean their gums with a warm washcloth after they have a bottle or baby food. As your child gets older, they may want to mimic you and grab for the toothbrush. While it is fine to let them practice, be sure to follow-up and properly clean their teeth for them. You should help your child brush their teeth until they are coordinated enough to tie their own shoe, this is usually around 6 years old.

The amount of toothpaste you use is also important. For a toddler, use only a small amount. About the size of a grain of rice. For slightly older children, toothpaste should be the size of a pea.

Even after your child is old enough to brush their teeth on their own, be sure to continue monitoring them. Make sure they brush for the full 2 minutes. Children may also need help flossing their teeth. If the long strings of floss seem to be too difficult for them to maneuver, opt for an alternative, such as a flossing pick.

New Patient Special

We invite new patients to take advantage of our special offer!