How Long Does It Take Before Your Oral Health Starts Decaying?

Wandering Flame · 05 Jul 2010

One night, something happened that upset me and by 8 in the morning, I woke up and had breakfast. I was still a little tired since I didn't sleep that much so I went back to rest...though I didn't intend on falling asleep, since I knew I had teeth to brush, but I fell asleep unfortunately and, I woke up around 1 PM. I ate my lunch by then and pretty much repeated the same procedure like an idiot by going back to bed and resting. I ended up waking up around 7 and finally remembered to brush at around 8 PM...that's freaking 12 hours without brushing, flossing or rinsing. Why, I did not notice the seriousness of this before is most likely due to the retarded depression.

This is obviously unlike not taking a shower for 3 days or not cutting hair for 3 months. This is oral hygiene which decays permanently, so I was wondering how long does it take after eating for any part of the inner mouth to start getting affected, either the teeth or gums pretty much. If it helps, by 8 in the morning I had eaten some chicken, some rice, some vegetables, honey-roasted almonds and 3 flavors of ice cream and some honey.

Thanks.

Jacee · 05 Jul 2010

You should be ok after 8 hours and you're young. Don't continue to repeat it, tho'

Wandering Flame · 05 Jul 2010

...This was after 12 hours...and I'm not young....I'm 21... (lol 12 backwards

)

And H to the ELL no am I ever doing this again. Heck, I've even packed in my backpack a floss container, a toothbrush and toothpaste to take along with me, and am never putting something in my mouth besides water and medicine without flossing, brushing and listerining. (well...the listerine part I can't since I don't...you know what, screw this *puts listerine bottle in backpack*)

Was planning on doing some teeth whitening too for the hell of it, but not so sure on that since apparently I need a custom tray for VivaStyle.

smarteyeball · 05 Jul 2010

A whole 12 hours? Get thee to a dentist ASAP!

Seriously, it sounds like you have quite a stringent routine anyway - 12 hours will not have hurt you.

profdlp · 06 Jul 2010

I did the same thing when I was 21 and within three weeks every last one of my daggone teeth had rotted clear out of my skull.

It was teh suX0r...

electrotune1200 · 06 Jul 2010

profdlp said:

I did the same thing when I was 21 and within three weeks every last one of my daggone teeth had rotted clear out of my skull.

It was teh suX0r...

Carl Lawrence · 06 Jul 2010

You should be Ok, and 21 is young. I am 26 and I still consider myself as a young person.

electrotune1200 · 06 Jul 2010

Brushing your teeth daily should be sufficient.

Just dont...

start attending all night dance parties and taking illicit substances that make your teeth clamp for hours, while eating mass amounts of lollies to stop the immense pressure.

Wandering Flame · 06 Jul 2010

profdlp said:

I did the same thing when I was 21 and within three weeks every last one of my daggone teeth had rotted clear out of my skull.

It was teh suX0r...

smarteyeball said:

A whole 12 hours? Get thee to a dentist ASAP!

For some reason I doubt the above quotes are that serious.

smarteyeball said:

Seriously, it sounds like you have quite a stringent routine anyway - 12 hours will not have hurt you.

Actually, prior to this I have not really had a stringent routine. I would normally floss/brush/listerine after each meal but I was ok with, for instance, eating while I am outside and not brushing my teeth until I arrived home, but, not anymore apparently.

And by that, you're not saying that 12 hours wouldn't hurt simply because I have a strict routine? Since either way I doubt it would do anything about the 12 hours. I still wonder if 12 hours would have done anything I can't reverse. Someone earlier said beyond 8 hours I'm effed, and I've gone 12 hours without doing it. May not be a big deal to some, but definitely is to me.

Love Windows 7 said:

You should be Ok, and 21 is young. I am 26 and I still consider myself as a young person.

I don't think how young I'm to be perceived is the issue. It all comes down to how well my inner mouth can deal with the traces of food and stuff that has been in my mouth, besides I think you would have to be below 10 or something if you want your oral health to be restoring itself without some expensive dental procedure. My only concern is if 12 hours without brushing normally should have any permanent effect on my teeth or gums. I wish mouth cleaning could be compared to overall body cleaning but there are bacteria and similar stuff that begin to decay the teeth and gums at some point...

Was wondering if there are any statistics telling when your teeth are gums begin to get permanently affected after eating and not brushing or flossing.

Also it just hit me but...why is it recommended by some to brush twice a day (I would guess this means every 12 hours?) and not every meal? Since after each meal I'd say is the logical advice...twice a day can mean going without brushing for 12 hours each day, something I've done and the reason I made this thread.

Seems to me whoever suggested the twice a day thing is saying 12 hours could NEVER start affecting your teeth or gums...but for some reason I call BS because I know plaque could start to build up way before that...like a few hours.

OneSerious · 06 Jul 2010

Most tooth paste and mouth wash say to use twice daily. I clean my teeth when I wake up and before I go to bed, which I think most people do.

If this is only a one off occassion where you forgot to brush your teeth for like a day I think you'll be fine. Teeth if looked after last for years so forgetting to brush the odd time is hardly anything to worry about.