Can Dentists Tell If You Brush Daily

Ever sat in a dental chair, anxiously waiting for the arrival of your provider and thought to yourself “I wonder if my dentist can tell I forgot to brush today?”, then well, you’re not alone. Others have definitely wondered the same thing, and honestly, it is a fair concern. But, here’s the thing, life gets busy, so, it’s completely understandable that you might sometimes forget to brush twice a day. 

Checking The Overall Health Of Your Whole Mouth

The truth is, just like our dentist in Huntersville, oral healthcare providers have seen everything, so a little bit of plaque on the teeth isn’t the main focus of your appointment. What dentists are much more focused on during your appointment is checking the overall health of your whole mouth to help you improve or maintain good oral health. 

To answer the question though, yes, your provider will absolutely be able to spot the signs of inconsistent brushing habits, as well as early signs of gingivitis and other conditions. They’ll be able to spot these signs easily because your mouth leaves clues to indicate inconsistent oral hygiene practices. 

Plaque Bacteria And Tartar Buildup

A well trained dentist doesn’t need a confession from you to know your brushing habits. Plaque buildup on the outer layer of the teeth will show how well you adhere to a proper brushing routine. This sticky, yellowish substance can easily be removed, however its hardened tartar shows the real signs of a problem. 

Quality Of Gum Health

Your gum health is also a pretty good indicator of your oral hygiene practices. Since healthy gums do not bleed during a dental cleaning, if blood appears during this treatment it usually means that plaque-bacteria has remained unbrushed or removed for a long period of time.  

Bad Breath With Strong Odor

Bad breath is another obvious clue. The problem is not the normal “coffee breath” kind smell, but that strong harsh odor that comes from the smell emitted by bacteria, or even infection in the mouth. 

Teeth Stain Types

Even your teeth stain patterns can be an indicator of poor oral hygiene practice because dentists can often tell the cause of the stain based on its appearance. Stain patterns can show a dentist whether or not the discoloration comes from coffee, tea, wine, etc. or due to lack of brushing.

Dentists Don’t Shame They Educate

Dental staff at the right dentist’s office for the whole family will understand real life so shaming patients isn’t the goal when they know that prioritizing educating the patient is the only way to enact real change. 

What Brushing Twice a Day Actually Prevents

If you’re wondering why dentists recommend brushing twice a day, the answer is simple. Twice a day brushing, along with flossing and even using mouthwash keeps your whole mouth clean and free of bacteria that leads to rotten teeth, bad breath, tooth root decay, build up on the tongue and more. Here is a quick list of oral health issues that are prevented by maintaining good oral hygiene: 

• Cavity Prevention
• Gum Disease
• Tartar buildup
• Bad Breath Odor
• Enamel Damage
• Lowers Long-term Dental Treatment Costs

Skipping brushing, flossing and rinsing twice daily will not ruin your oral health overnight, it may take time. In as little as 2 days you can begin to see the signs of plaque buildup and blood spots on the teeth from the gums while brushing. 

We Are Here To Help, Not Judge

Although the answer to the initial question this article addresses is absolutely yes, you shouldn’t make that a reason to shy away from going in for your dental appointment. Since you know now that not only will your dentist know that you haven’t brushed but also you have a better understanding of the effects of not brushing you should feel propelled to care for your teeth even better than you were before. Schedule a judgement-free dental consultation or a thorough check-up.

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