If you stopped brushing and flossing your teeth you will start to have plaque buildup.  Plaque is a coating of bacterial film that produces acids that eat away tooth enamel and cause cavities, or small holes, to form. After a while plaque film gets harder and more resistant to scraping and brushing and becomes tartar (solid bits that irritate the gums).

One of the first signs of trouble is a condition called gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums brought on by the uncontrolled growth of plaque and tartar. It may cause bleeding and swollen gums, but it can be easy to ignore because it isn’t painful.

Yet gingivitis is still just a warning sign that worse things are let to come. Where things really start to go wrong after not brushing for a while,  is when you start to develop  gum diseases called periodontitis.   Gum pockets form when irritated gums pull away from teeth. They collect decaying food particles and become a breeding ground for bacteria. Unchecked plaque growth in the pockets, on teeth and around the gum line leads to cavities, swollen gums, discolored teeth, bone loss, tooth loss, abscesses and very bad breath.

However with all this going on things still can get worse.  Rampant tooth decay will start causing major dental pain. You will have pain just trying to eat anything. Abscess and infections will develop. Bacteria that is left developing in your mouth will start to  invade other systems in your body. Although research is ongoing, poor dental health may contribute to a number of very serious conditions you’d never expect, like heart disease, stroke, and possibly even cancer.

Yet it only takes around five minutes a day twice a day for good at home dental care habits to avoid all the above from happening.  Combine that with seeing your dentist regularly and you  help to keep your teeth healthy for a life time.