What happens when your child skips a brushing

Oct 31, 2019

We get it. You’re a busy parent and your kids’ bedtime routine doesn’t always go to plan. Your child may fall asleep in the car, on the couch, or you may just be out of time. The question is, exactly how bad is it to skip that night time tooth brushing?

Essentially, skipping the night time tooth brushing session means that the things your child eats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are left hanging around on and in-between their teeth all night. Even worse, if they eat something sweet before bedtime, it’s like giving the bacteria that naturally reside in their mouth a sweet treat to feast on all night. Just like every other living organism, these bacteria excrete waste after a meal. The waste is highly acidic and breaks down tooth enamel, causing root decay and cavities.

When your child goes to bed without brushing, plaque starts to harden and calcify on their teeth. Once this has happened, it’s not easy to remove without a proper teeth cleaning by a hygienist. Even worse, the gums see this build-up as infection and your child’s immune system starts attacking that infection. The problem is, it not only attacks the plaque build-up but it starts destroying healthy tissues that hold their teeth in place. Sounds pretty scary, right?

So will this happen after a few missed brushing sessions? No, but it’s a good reminder to not make going to bed without brushing a habit. 

Schedule your child’s routine teeth cleaning today at Hersch Pediatric Dentistry in Newport Beach to make sure their teeth stay in excellent shape.