What Happens If You Only Brush Your Teeth Once a Day?

You’ve heard your dentist in Charlottesville say it time and time again – you should brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day. But is it really that important to brush your teeth two times every day? What could really happen if you only brush your teeth once a day? Let’s find out. 

Why Brushing Twice a Day is Important

Our teeth and mouths are exposed to a ton of things throughout the day, such as sugar and carbohydrates, which contain bacteria. While your saliva can help wash away some of the bacteria, most of it will form a thin film over your teeth called plaque. We need to remove that film to keep bacteria from building up and accumulating in your mouth. Too much bacteria can cause various dental problems, such as decay, bad breath, and gum disease. Brushing and flossing daily, as well as seeing your dentist in Charlottesville regularly, helps combat bacteria and plaque buildup and protect teeth. 

Brush Morning & Night

We always recommend brushing your teeth both in the morning and before bed at night. Many people don’t miss the morning brushing because they want to get rid of morning breath before they interact with other people. This is important because brushing your teeth in the morning not only helps freshen your breath, it removes any bacteria that were trapped in your mouth all night long. 

However, it’s also important to brush your teeth at night, even if you’re tired and just want to go to bed. If you don’t brush your teeth before going to sleep, all of the bacteria that you consumed throughout the day is left stuck on your teeth for hours in an ideal environment for it to flourish. Failing to brush your teeth before bed basically lets your teeth soak in bacteria. 

Risks With Only Brushing Once a Day

The longer bacteria is left on teeth, the more trouble it can cause. Some common issues associated with habitually only brushing your teeth once a day are an increased risk of: 

• Cavities
• Advanced decay that could require additional dental treatment such as a root canal
• Gum disease
• Chronic bad breath

Another note about bad breath. Even though brushing your teeth in the morning may mask bad breath, it’s usually only temporary. Chronic bad breath can be a result of poor oral hygiene, such as only brushing once a day, and may require treatment from your dentist in Charlottesville. 

We understand that it’s not always possible to brush your teeth twice a day, and that’s ok. Missing an occasional brushing is usually no big deal, just try to not make it a habit, and don’t go too long without cleaning your pearly whites. 

One of the best forms of preventive dentistry is how you care for your teeth at home. Do everything you can to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, and floss once a day to help protect your oral health. 

About The Author

Dr. Jack T. Kayton

Dr. Jack T. Kayton has served families in Charlottesville and surrounding areas since 1994 through his general and family dentistry private practice. Believing that everyone deserves quality dental care, he donates his time to worthy causes. He volunteers at the Donated Dental Service and the Charlottesville Free Clinic. His professional affiliations include the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the Academy of General Dentistry, among others.

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