The Consequences of Poor Dental Hygiene

It’s no secret practising good oral hygiene is crucial to maintaining our oral health. A healthy smile is important for spreading love, warmth, kindness, and it’s a sign of good oral health. But, how many of us take good care of our teeth and gums and follow good oral hygiene? Only a very few.

According to the Australian Dental Association, about 50% of Australians don’t brush their teeth twice a day. One in four Australians has untreated tooth decay. Even those who regularly brush their teeth twice typically don’t brush for more than 45 seconds that’s not enough to remove the plaque build-up. This is a serious problem as poor dental health can lead to various oral and overall health problems.

If you’ve not been prioritising your dental health, here’s why you need to:-

Dental Decay

Plaque, a sticky-film like bacteria, is one of the significant causes of dental decay. When you don’t brush and floss daily, it can lead to plaque build-up. The longer the plaque stays in your teeth, the higher the risk of infection and dental decay. The sugar and starch from the foods you eat can get stuck in-between the teeth and combine with the plaque, producing an acid.

This acid can start attacking the tooth’s outermost layer, enamel. When the enamel is eroded, the tooth is susceptible to further infection and damages by the bacteria. This is when the cavity starts to form and destroy every part of your tooth right from the outer layer to the root. Cavity filling, root canal Blacktown, and tooth extraction are the treatments given to dental decay.

Chronic Bad Breath

When you don’t brush and floss your teeth properly, your mouth becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. The food particles and beverages you eat and drink can stick in your teeth and gums, leading to bad breath. You might be embarrassed to open your mouth and speak or kiss someone.

Gum Disease

Plaque is the major cause of gum disease. If plaque isn’t removed from the teeth, it can harden and become tartar. Tartar can infect the gums, creating painful pockets around the teeth, leading to tooth loss if not treated at the right time. Your gums might bleed and become swollen.

Tooth Discolouration

Poor dental hygiene can cause tooth discolouration over time as the stains aren’t removed. You’ll feel embarrassed to smile and socialise as your teeth are stained and look ugly. In such a case, professional teeth whitening Blacktown can help remove stains from your teeth and improve your smile.

As you see, poor oral hygiene can affect your oral health in many ways. Brush and floss regularly, eat healthy, and visit the dentists in Blacktown every six months to keep dental problems at bay.

The author of this article is a dentist in Blacktown. Along with a team of professionals, he offers a range of dental services that helps to improve patients smile. Visit https://www.westpointdental.com.au/ for more details about teeth whitening Blacktown.