Dentists say that you should brush your teeth at least twice a day — once in the morning and once in the evening. Living a very busy everyday life, however, can leave you too tired or sleepy to reach for your toothbrush, thus causing you to dodge the twice a day brushing rule.

So what will happen if you quit brushing your teeth altogether? Well, you don’t have to find that out for yourself and risk your smile as well as overall health. Below you will come across some of the nightmares that failure to brush your teeth can bring, according to dentists themselves.

Especially if you have lots of beauty- and health-conscious family members and friends, don’t forget to share this article on your various social media sites after.

Bad Breath

Without brushing, food particles and bacteria can collect in your mouth. They are not a good mix because they can cause your breath to smell horrid. However, bad breath due to skipping brushing may not only be due to accumulated debris and microbes in your mouth, but also a bunch of other issues such as cavities, gingivitis and tooth decay — they can make your breath reek no matter how often you brush your teeth.

Tooth Staining

Cigarette smoking and the consumption of certain foods and drinks such as berries, tomatoes, candies, coffee, black tea, green tea and red wine can cause staining of your teeth. The good news is you can keep that from happening simply by brushing your teeth ASAP. Otherwise, those superficial stains can become stubborn blemishes that only a trip to the dental clinic to get professional cleaning and whitening can get rid of.

Gingivitis

Simply put, gingivitis is the inflammation and bleeding of your gums. Dentists say that gingivitis is the early stage of what’s known a periodontal disease, which is the infection of the gums as well as surrounding or adjacent structures such as the bones that support your pearly whites. Having gingivitis can make brushing painful, making you want to skip brushing The more you turn your back on brushing, the worse your gingivitis can get.

Loose Teeth

It’s very much possible for your teeth to become loose and even fall off if a simple gingivitis ends up as a full-blown periodontal disease. Just like what’s mentioned earlier, periodontal disease can cause not only the gums to become infected but also other structures in the mouth. According to dentists, periodontal disease is a problem that can cause irreversible damage, which only means that you can lose your smile for good.

Heart Attack

Believe it or not, it’s not just your smile that is in danger if you refuse to brush your teeth at least twice a day, but also your ticker. That’s because dental plaque that can form in your mouth may enter your bloodstream and become deposited in your arteries. If your heart muscles are not supplied with enough oxygen due to arterial clogging, a heart attack may strike. By the way, heart disease is the number one killer on the planet, health authorities say.

Stroke

Other than your heart, your brain may also be placed at risk if you fail to brush your pearly whites on a regular basis. Again, it has something to do with the fact that plaque in your mouth can end up in your blood and become deposited in the arteries. If plaque causes narrowing of one of the arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the brain tissue, a stroke may happen. Not all people are fortunate enough to survive a stroke.

If you care about your smile as well as your heart and brain, make sure that you brush your teeth at least twice a day. Don’t forget the importance of visiting your dentist at least once a year, too!