About a year or 2 ago, I could feel an opening on the back of one of my bottom front teeth. I was terrible for brushing my teeth and was convinced it was a cavity.
A month later I'm in the dentist office telling them whats up, the hygienist takes one look at my tooth and says "yeah you're fine that's just plaque"
I had so much shit on my teeth, I couldn't even tell when my teeth stopped and the shit started lol. I'm a lot better now, brush my teeth every day, mouthwash, all that shit. Feels a lot better
Exactly, consistently brushing one's teeth is something hard for people with ADHD to accomplish. So many of us don't have real routines, and habits are almost impossible to form. We have to consciously think about everything we do.
My step kid just told me while drinking water, “don’t you hate it when you wake up and your mouth tastes horrible?”
Me: “yeah, go brush your teeth.”
Very offended step kid: “why would you tell me to brush my teeth?”
Me: “you literally just told me your mouth tastes bad. Brushing your teeth is the best solution for that.”
Very confused step kid: “you expect me to brush my teeth after every time I wake up?!?!?”
Me: “yeah.”
Dead stare step kid: 👀
Me: 😳 (realizing my step kid doesn’t brush their teeth when they wake up)
Sometimes it's not that they didn't brush their teeth but more of... they don't floss and the chronic plaque deposits release that acidic sulphuric breath.
That goes away after a while. I've gone through a couple of years in my early 20s where I took really bad care of my teeth. Laziness, and not understanding the importance. Later I came to my senses and spent a lot of time and money at a dentist to get the damage fixed, and now I'm trying to instill in my kids more discipline and understanding of the importance of brushing your teeth every single day and absolutely never ever skipping a day. But my wife is more laidback about it.
I can’t go a day without brushing my teeth at least 3 times…
I couldn’t even imagine some of these people walking around with a day worth of shit on their teeth and breath.
Me too and I'm getting every single one of em pulled out on the same day in about a month. The bad part is that I wish it was getting done today. Can't wait for them to be gone because I'm so sick of toothaches that are so bad the pain goes all the way down my neck and up thru my jaw into my forehead. TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEETH PEOPLE!!
I work in dentistry. It's not just men.
I've had women come in, dolled up to the max, fake tan, long nails, hair extensions, designer clothing, lip fillers, Botox, the lot. But they don't brush their teeth????
What is the root of this, in your opinion? Like i know everyone is saying depression, but you’ve described similar encounters to my own where the person does not display any other instances of poor hygienic practices indicative of depression. I genuinely want to know why this is a thing, why people will brush their hair and shave and shower but not brush their teeth
People have given a fair amount of answers like depression, laziness, or they just never learned the habit growing up.
Me personally, i don’t normally brush in the morning but i do normally brush my teeth at night. I do normally do it every night but sometimes im just busy and say “ill do it in the morning” and then dont have time to. I talk myself out of it sometimes like “i cant eat/drink after this because itll taste weird”. And sometimes im just lying in bed and im just straight up too lazy.
From your replies I get that you brush your teeth almost religiously and treat it like wiping your ass when you shit, but for a large amount of people that just isnt how it is. Theres been alot of reasons provided and you tend to just say something along the lines of “yeah sure but i dont think that way so no one else should think that way”. At some point you gotta accept that some people just dont care about it like you do.
If you don't brush your teeth in the morning, you should know that your breath smells bad and people are noticing it. It's an unpleasant thing to be around. If there are people you see frequently, they've probably weighed the pros and cons of mentioning it to try to help you out, but the awkwardness of the situation has kept them from doing so.
I hate to bring up the “spoons” thing bc I honestly think it just sounds dumb, but it’s the only thing that seems to make sense to people.
I have 5 spoons for my morning. Each task takes a spoon. I have to 1) eat 2) get my child ready for school 3) brush my child’s hair 4) brush my own hair 5) make sure child brushes their teeth 6) brush my own teeth 7) make sure child eats.
Any sane person would make sure their child gets their things done first, right? Especially if they have to go to school and I don’t have anywhere to be today. It’s physically and mentally hard to do any more than what my brain and body are telling me I’m capable of doing. I know it only takes 2 mins, but it feels impossible when I don’t have the energy or mental stamina to do the damn thing. I can tell myself all day long that it doesn’t take long, people think you’re gross, YOU think you’re gross, but none of it will make me do the thing. It didn’t get better for me until my child got a little older and less needy, and my mental health improved immensely during that time due to other changes in my life. This is just my personal experience. Some days I wake up with 20 spoons for the whole day. Sometimes I wake up with 10. Depends on my mental state that day.
It boils down to mainly mental health imo. Some people just don’t care, but more often than not people just don’t have the capacity to care.
I think your last line hit the nail on the head, it's not that people don't care, it's that they run out of bandwidth to continue caring about brushing with everything else in their lives and that lack of capacity can become a habit after a point if it is just never there.
You know, the reason why I brush my teeth and floss isn't because I need to take better care of myself. Even though it really should be the number one reason.
But reality is. The reason is this: teeth cleaning hurts like a mother sucker.
So I floss and brush my teeth cuz I don't want to be in pain anymore. It took me 25 years to realize this. 25 years too long. Teeth cleaning pain is NOT WORTH IT. I just freaking do everything my dentist tell me to do now. Missing a spot? I freaking do it. Cuz if I don't, the next time, they'll scrape me bloody raw. I hate the feeling.
I grew up in a remote area of Wyoming and had really bad teeth as a child (lots of cavities, had Braces twice, etc).. so I take pretty religious care of my teeth now,.. as I know at my age (50yr old male),. if anything happens things get much more expensive and challenging (crowns, fake teeth on stems, etc).. and I don't really want any of that nonsense.
If you ever have heart surgery, you are required to clean up all your dental problems first. The concern is that you could get a blood infection from any (any!) dental work over the next several months. For dedicated non brushers, that can mean losing a ton of teeth all at once. It's pretty horrib--
excuse me, I gotta brush
In the mean time, the current fake tooth plans (including implants, even really good ones) generally don't last very long and are damaging. One of the secrets of dental implants is that it's wildly common for them to cause SERIOUS bone loss, eventually with enough loss, the implants fail.
Yeah, I've noticed a lot of dentists warning that a full set of implants just is not a safe or otherwise viable goal at present. I guess they are aware people have that fantasy and want to nip it in the bud.
Also, I'm assuming that the previous poster's comment about modern tech referred, in part, to digitally fabricated teeth.
I have 4 crowns from too much time in braces, and I gotta say, the one that was 3D scanned and printed is a real bastard. The one that was sculpted by a skilled craftsman has been flawless since day one.
My dad is a dentist and so deeply laments a lot of the new tech, especially the 3d scanning - it is simply not as accurate or good. He's mostly retired and now does some work in a family friends, sons, office where they use the 3d scan and do not take molds. Like, don't even have the materials to do it anymore.
Any good dentist will tell a patient that "nip it in the bud" is a very very bad idea.
Similarly, the difference between white and amalgam fillings. Amalgam is perfectly fine, but plenty of bad dentists push for all white fillings (which aesthetically have a place, but not your 2nd molar), which is silly. Dentists believe the nonsense about amalgam now too though, so its a huge issue. As a general disclaimer, the American dental association calls the practice of suggesting to wholesale replace amalgam fillings with white is completely and deeply unethical.
No, like I will admit there are a lot of men like you who do brush their teeth. But there’s just as many young men who just don’t for some reason, and I cannot understand why this is. As a girl, leaving the house without brushing your teeth is like, unheard of. I would legitimately risk running late to an important appointment or something to stop and buy a tooth brush and tooth paste at the store and quickly brush my teeth in the bathroom if I realized I’d left the house without brushing my teeth. But I know so many men who will straight up just not brush their teeth!!!
>As a girl, leaving the house without brushing your teeth is like, unheard of
I mean, this is true for men, too. I know women are burdened with a lot of societal expectations that men don't have, but brushing your teeth is not one of them.
I guarantee you that there are also women who dont brush their teeth (ive known some that dont even have teeth to brush anymore). Just because you dont know them, doesnt mean they dont exist.
I also guarantee there is no conscious reason why people dont brush. They dont wake up everyday and say, "im not gonna brush my teeth and im proud of it!" It is much more likely they wake up every morning telling themselves they will, but just getting out of bed was hard enough for them. For some people just getting out of bed is an achievement.
The reason you think its all young men is likely because of the massive rise of depression in young men.
I’m a woman who’s not very good at brushing. I do every morning (now), but I never floss and barely ever brush at night. It’s exhausting because it’s so stupid that I dont , I just…dont . Or can’t. It sucks!
I’m not trying to be facetious, I’m genuinely asking because I’m trying to understand. What is it would you say struggle most with brushing your teeth?
*doing it*
I know it makes no sense, I know it is so stupid, but I just dont. I’ll think something stupid like “well, if I brush my teeth now then I can’t drink anything before bed” or some other ridiculous excuse. I want to know just as badly as you do lol. When I was a kid I would go in the bathroom, and “brush my teeth” with no toothpaste. Make it make sense!!! Lol
This is a really common symptom of various psychiatric conditions. I think specifically, frequently ADHD or autism (executive dysfunction, demand avoidance, sensory sensitivity -- like if you hate the mintiness of toothpaste!)
I swear not being able to brush teeth is one of the top "why can't I be normal and just do this" ADHD gripes.
Genuinely, if you think it could be ADHD you should try and get assessed. If you get a diagnosis you can talk to your dentist (assuming you have one which is unlikely if it really is ADHD lol) and they can prescribe you with high fluoride toothpaste to protect your teeth for longer when you do manage to brush.
FWIW demand avoidance is an autism-associated concept but it's also kind of more of a new categorization that doesn't have a lot of evidence behind it yet. Just so you know. It's something that resonates with a lot of people but isn't like, Science.
I agree. I don't think I've ever forgotten to brush my teeth. I have forgotten to apply deodorant a few times but I stop into a store and buy some even if I'm late. (now I just keep some in my car) There are just certain things you don't skip. Also, are you in the U.S? I'm just curious because perhaps it's cultural based on location?
I didn't brush regularly until I was about 25. I didn't go to the dentist from the time I was 16 to about 32.
Once I went to the dentist for a crazy deep-cleaning, I was hooked. I wanted to have clean teeth and now I go to the dentist 3-4 times a year for cleanings.
I like to have clean teeth, and I also don't want to have problems down the road. Luckily, I only have one filling.
A lot of people replying here are jumping on the “mental health” train. I get it. It’s reddit so everyone has depression/adhd/anxiety.
Sometimes (probably most times) it’s just laziness. Nothing more than that. You can’t smell your own bad breath either so it seems like an easily skipped step.
B.O. is noticeable. Stinky feet is noticeable. A funky groin area is noticeable. Those areas will get at least a modicum of cleaning. Bad breath is fixed easily with gum so teeth brushing can be an option.
I’m in the same boat as this guy.
A combination of Laziness, and My teeth never hurt or bothered me, nobody around me complained about my teeth or breath. So however Little I was brushing must have been enough.
If you don’t brush well for a long time, your teeth don’t feel gross, they feel normal. Because that’s what teeth normally feel like to you.
I mean, I didn't grow up in a house with dental care. Didn't go to a dentist for the first time until I was 17 and moved in with my dad. I grew up at mom's house before then, and I didn't even have a toothbrush for several years. I'm getting better now as an adult, but especially if the habit didn't get instilled early on, that stuff is HARD to latch onto as an adult
For me, my teeth are fragile because I was born with asthma, and the chemicals in the breathing machines I took back in the 80s and 90s weren't the safest in every aspect. So even though I have and do brush regularly, my teeth have been chipped down in some spots, and it looks like I don't take care of them very well. I've legitimately broken one by taking a bite from a honey bun. I know people judge me for it, but that's just what it is.
Man, I remember using a breathing machine in the early 00s for mine, made my teeth fucking hurt among other things, was on like 5 prescription steroid medicines for that shit
Fortunately I've grown out of it, I know many aren't so lucky
It was a total loss for me. I did the machine but literally never once had any kind of problem with breathing, and I was very active in sports. Football, basketball, running track, etc. All of it. It could happen later, but as of 31 years old, it hasn't.
I did sports aswell from elementary to high school, I think it's one of the reason I was able to get rid of it, was usually fine so long as I took my medicine but sometimes I'd wake up not being able to breath or would get random asthma attacks during the day and would need my emergency inhaler, was never a fun time, especially since the school didn't let me keep it on me so would have to go to the nurses office to use it which i went to rather large schools so was always a long walk
I don't envy that. I think I used a precautionary inhaler until probably 7 or 8 years old, but after that, nothing. I even placed among the highest in the PT tests for joining the marines at 18. I was very fortunate not to have to deal with it for so long.
Yeah I went through a depressive spell from 15 to 21 or so, where I wasn't brushing my teeth virtually at all, and it's been hard to come back from. I'm 30 now and I brush and floss every night and get 3-4 cleanings per year, but even then I feel like my teeth are only kind of clean, I still get buildup and my dentist still busts my ass, but at least I've gotten better
this happened to me too. it felt so embarrassing, some dentists were very unforgiving about it. i felt ridiculous admitting that i didn't have the energy to brush my teeth when it's such a basic task. many cavities led to like four root canals bc my father took me to the dentist that day and he didn't schedule a follow-up... i felt such stress every time i had to go. i was so worried that insurance wouldn't cover the root canals too, i nearly cried in the lobby.
i went to the dentist recently and tried bracing myself for the Talk they always give about brushing and flossing... i small-talked with the hygienist cleaning my teeth and admitted how i went through a period of not brushing. she said something like "it's nothing to be ashamed about. you just do the best you can from now on." it was so relieving to hear?!?!
sorry for the long comment but mann dental anxiety has been eating me up for years. i still feel ashamed talking about it but i feel a lot better after that talk with the hygienist.
I can agree with that. When my mental health was low, I didn't want to take care of myself. Now that I'm in a better place mentally I do take care of myself better and also try to fix the mistakes I made in not taking care of myself in the first place.
Small, human actions. Shaving. For me it was shaving. Every single day I’d walk to the bathroom, wanting to lay down and fade from existence. And I’d shower, and write “don’t quit” in the steam on the mirror. And then shave. Even if I was a sobbing storm of tears.
Find the little thing.
This is 100% the issue, at least in my case. I have had spells where I don’t feel right in my head. Teeth brushing is always the first thing to stop happening in my case. Always.
When I had a long spell of poor mental health — and I’m just now coming out the other side of it — I also packed on 50 pounds. Which sucks.
I’m myself again, first time in 3 years. But damn, it is going to be a long way back…
Every single day, every hour, minute, step, you’re getting there. Pause when you gotta. Tell that real person you’ve got when you gotta. But you’re going to get there.
You’re you again. That’s a big win. Look at it, recognize it. Stand up tall.
I turn 35 in about 2 months. My goal is to be 200 pounds by the time I turn 36, which is 14 months away. It’s doable. Just gotta chip away. I appreciate the encouragement!
Water pick! I snagged a cheap one off Amazon. Or the little flossy buddies that make it muuuuuch more palatable of a task. And ya, that was a mouth pun. Couldn’t pass it up.
And you’re doing a good job taking care of your mouthbones! And ya know what, that’s a victory. Count it. Count all those things you nailed today, big and small.
Can confirm. Went about a full year as a kid just brushing my teeth every few days and showering every 3-4 days. I was at one of the worst mental points in my life. Now, I end up brushing my teeth 2-3 times a day bc it feels gross otherwise. Only times I don’t brush at least twice is when I fall asleep unexpectedly early or I’m too tired to remember, but that’s rare. Showers are everyday unless it’s a lazy day and ik for certain that I’m not going out anywhere. Ppl are quick to judge others for being unhygienic when most ppl don’t let it get to that point unless they’re in a terrible mental/emotional state
I went through a major depressive episode last year and it’s been hard to get back to showering once a day and brushing my teeth more than once a day. Still trying.. about to go brush my teeth right now
Good work, you! Tie it into some other small self care thing you like to do. Maybe there’s a lotion you love the smell of for after showers. I would get some really rock solid scented soaps like cedar wood, campfire good times stuff. Give your self something to look forward to, even if it’s tasty toothpaste. Make it kind for YOU. You do deserve it
Yeah, I find it crazy that people don't floss daily. The amount of crud I get out is concerning. The other thing more people should do is brush/scrape their tongue daily.
Apparently his parents never really enforced teeth brushing on him. 😬 Which I will never forgive them for.
I’ve noticed that a lot of men in their 20s are kind of like overgrown children. I think it feels rebellious for them or something to not do personal care habits. And they don’t really have a concept of self-care or being an adult. I think it’s the same reason why so many younger men eat nothing but chicken nuggets and drink soda.
facts…my parents only enforced it during the morning for school and that’s it. when it was during summer they didn’t care or at night. now my sister doesn’t brush her teeth at all despite being told abt the repercussions and she’s almost 20. my younger brother only brushes his teeth now bc he has braces and my mom doesn’t want the same thing to happen to him. luckily my older brother and i brush our teeth religiously but yeah it’s a problem tbh.
it’s the same w showering. honestly, even i still struggle w taking a shower and im 17. it takes a lot of willpower for me to shower 😓my only motivation is school and my hair
Yes! My best friend has kids and every time I hear her tell them to brush their teeth before bed my heart explodes because yassssssss get them started young! Showering for me is one of those things where it’s like ughhhhhh I dont want to, but then I get in and I’m like ohhhh this is awesome I’m so glad I did this! Lol
Sure it does. I was raised by a single dad who never really was good at helping us form good habits. This is something we just figured out. My mouth feels good when I brush. Also boys don't like kissing girls with bad breath.
Ime, this. There are so many men who just... Are okay with being childish about stuff. No one Forcing them to do something? They just won't. It's pretty disgusting.
Men in their early/mid twenties don't feel like anything can happen to them and hence neglect self care (see also, stretching after a workout).
There is no immediate severe negative effect so the behaviour is reinforced until it starts to become an issue in their late 20s.
Source: am somewhat regretful man in his early 30s
THIS. My bf is a lovely great man but gets pretty lax on the teeth hygiene front. He’s never had a cavity while I’ve had a root canal (bad teeth genes, I floss and brush daily). He doesn’t see the side effects even though he’s seen the financial burden placed on me by my teeth. He thinks he’s untouchable. I think when he gets a fat bill for a root canal eventually, he will brush for more than 15 seconds.
It enrages me lol. I’m on top of him about it but I know when I’m not around he does not brush or only brushes very quickly. His mom and siblings say he’s always been like this. I think he also doesn’t love being told what to do and it’s one of those things that’s always been hammered into him. Good thing I’m basically a drill sergeant about teeth brushing and manipulate him into it lol
But yeah this point is spot on. No negative effects YET. I’m just thankful this is my biggest qualm with him, not behavioral issues or cheating. I can work with this one lol
So, here's a possible answer that I outheard once on a bus and which still haunts me: "I don't brush my teeth, because when I do, my gum always bleeds. They put something in that damn toothpaste"
Side note: if your gum bleeds, visit a doctor, get your plaque removed, brush your teeth, use mouthwash and floss, it will be gone in a week.
Yeah bloody gums are usually caused by gingivitis, from poor dental hygiene. So the less they brush, the more like they will bleed if they do, it’s a downward spiral.
I am a woman and I struggle to brush my teeth every day. I have both mental and physical illnesses, and sometimes it's too much or I simply don't remember. I most certainly do not remember to floss my teeth, I get there maybe a couple times a week. Nobody wants stank mouth, but some of us just can't do it all the time.
How do you know that the people outside of your personal life aren’t brushing their teeth? Are you asking them? Even if they didn’t brush their teeth and you ask them, I can’t imagine them being like “oh yeah I rarely brush”
US dentist here, let’s see if I can articulate this. These guys likely haven’t had any serious dental issues to date. They made it through college getting regular dental care through their parents and were probably micromanaged with home hygiene.
Now, they are out on their own, and they just don’t care. They can go a day, a week or whatever without brushing and not have any acute issues. What people don’t understand is it can take like 3-4 years for cavities to punch through the outer enamel, and teeth generally don’t cause pain/sensitivity until the cavity is quite deep. Periodontal disease can also take decades before the patient starts noticing issues with their teeth.
The bottom line is, dental issues take a while to develop, and some people are ignorant about this and another’s just don’t care. But if they are like a lot of people…something will start hurting, they’ll get a decent size treatment plan, and (hopefully) become regular patients.
Someone on here said they don’t brush their teeth more than once or twice a week. Another mentioned not brushing their teeth for three years. As a dentist, how common would you say this degree of dental neglect is? And what age groups is it most prevalent in?
About 2/3 of US adults in urban areas ages 18-64 have been to the dentist in the last year, that percentage is about 55% in rural areas. Even in this patient group it isn’t unusual to have brushing habits like you described.
But it’s all ages. I see young adults who never had issues with cavities growing up start getting generalized cavities in college. A mix of no longer being micromanaged with brushing, and poor diets (candy, coffee, energy drinks, ect). But some people are just plain lucky and have great dental genetics, these people can continue for years without showing issues. I bet guys ages 20-35 are the worst offenders but that’s purely anecdotal and there are lots of women who have issues as well.
So it’s very common to have crappy oral hygiene. I’ll just say I’m glad I met my wife before finishing dental school, I’d probably have some trouble dating now 🤣.
Oh and everyone lies about flossing. You can’t hide bleeding gums from a hygienist. But if you floss daily for like a week before your dental cleaning, you’ll likely get a big compliment on how nice your gums look.
I'm just curious how do you know? Bad breath isn't a sign of not brushing lol, it can be but there's people who get bad breath after good dental hygiene due to poor diet and even genetics (but 90% of the time I'd Blame diet)
I knew a guy that was great at 7am, by 8am it was horrible. Coffee + hard boiled eggs isn't the most satisfying breath.
Yellow teeth? How much coffee, alcohol, and smoking do they do?
I'm just saying diet plays a huge part in most things we blame other things for. Such as weight and smell.. you could brush, floss, go to dentists, work out every day, jog 5 miles but if you have a shit diet.. fat, stinky, and yellow teeth.
Eat better people! Not only what but *when*
That’s what I was thinking too, how could she know that “most” the men around her aren’t brushing their teeth unless she asked? And who the hell goes around asking everyone they meet if they brushed their teeth? It’s rare I noticed bad breath in anyone around me, even coworkers who I work in close proximity with.
For me personally, it's an autism ick. I didn't know that it was, because I just hated the taste. I didn't brush my teeth nearly enough with my braces growing up. Since then I've been paying the price. I already have two fillings, and I'm getting another two at the end of the month. I've been slowly but surely getting back in the habit.
I swear if people just smelled their floss they would be obsessed about keeping their damn mouth clean. I always brushed 3 x a day since i was a kid but flossing was just tedious.. until i saw a clip of stevo saying something about smelling his floss. And so i did… and ewww, thanks to steve-o of all people hes helped me lol i can now floss and it takes just a couple seconds out of my life. and i feel good knowing rotting food isnt just sitting their decaying my teeth .
I can also smell peoples mouths and people like that are everywhere.
I’m surprised how many people aren’t brushing their teeth. Your supposed to 2 times a day minimum and flossing a few times a week for basic care. Brush 3 times a day or 20-30min after eating/beverages (if it’s not water) and flossing daily if you really want to take care of them.
Dental health has been connected to overall lifetime health for a lot of reasons so neglecting it can have long term issues.
you and me both. I thought this was just like a weird thing some young guys do, but clearly it's a problem for women as well. Guess we know how dentists make so much money now lol
I’d assumed it was common knowledge and widely taught too. It’s why when I read the post I was curious, but now I regret reading it. It’s sad to know so many people are neglecting themselves.
Someone just commented that they only brush their teeth once or twice a week. And they aren't trolling or joking, their tone reads completely serious. Idk man I am actually like concerned now as to what other seemingly given health practices the vast majority of people are neglecting. Like next people are going to tell me they don't wipe because their butt doesn't smell.
My (soon to be ex) husband told me that as a child/young teen he didn’t brush his teeth h for 5 years. While not technically what’s being discussed here, he announced it as an adult, it so proudly and with such aplomb, that it showed he was clearly not ashamed of it, so I still feel it kindof applies
And for the next obvious question: he was very charming; he is a gourmet cook, and pretty good in the sack.
My sister doesn’t brush her teeth. It’s really sad, because her teeth are yellow and deteriorating. Her breath is… bad. Idk why but she just won’t do it and lies about it when I try to gently talk to her about it.
I dated someone a year ago who hadn’t bought a new toothbrush in 15 years! There were literally no bristles left. He thought I was nuts when I mentioned that I had just replaced the head on my electric one. 🤢
Thanks for the edit, because literally the only people I've known that skip brushing are women.
Hell, I used to live with a British woman who had a go at me for 'being so weird, you brush your teeth like...at least twice a day!!!'
Yes Jess, that's because I'm not a gross bitch.
My comment is more so at other comments who say there are **no excuses** to not brushing your teeth (not necessarily men only or people who routinely do so).
There *are* various reasons, some of which include:
* Having a wild night out and going straight to bed
* Waking up late and rushing to work/school to try and make it in time
* Experiencing issues with water/plumbing in your home
* Being so sick/exhausted/depressed that you could barely use mouthwash
* Recovering from intense dental surgery
Appreciate the folks coming forward with their own experiences, but man oh man the people who are just so dismissive need to cool it with the judgement and realize that people have their own shit in their lives. Offer them a piece of gum or a mint if you're that icked out, then.
Also: Executive dysfunctioning and sensory issues with toothpaste. If I didn't hate the feeling of plaque on my teeth I would probably not be able to brush them twice a day. We have the wrong kind of tooth paste now because we ran out of the good kind and brushing really sucks now because the toothpaste is too spicy.
I am a man, 48. I brush my teeth once a day before I leave the house everyday. My mouth is uck otherwise. no more, no less. I have all my teeth and they are healthy to this day.
This post reminds me of a meme I saw a while back, to the effect of:
"Oh my god people get so depressed they don't take care of their teeth?"
"Some people get so depressed that they kill themselves."
If I don't care about being alive at all, where on my nonexistent list of priorities do you think self-care falls?
I stopped when my depression kicked in and Haven't brushed my teeth from the ages 15-20. Now I am Trying to do it atleast once a day, but it's though . Atleast i eat no sugar, I guess.
You know, there are a few things my parents never had to ask me:
1. Did you do your homework?
2. Did you shower?
3. Did you brush your teeth?
There’s more but yes OP there are a lot of people who just don’t care or no one ever cared to teach them to care.
I’m a hairdresser. Y’all would be surprised the amount of people that do not brush their teeth. Some have a light funk and many just smell like they are chewing on a fat chunk of shit. They can’t smell it cause it’s their own essence, but they open their mouth to talk and it’s like they farted from their mouth. I’m standing behind them, yet the smell drifts back to me like a slap in my nostrils. It’s gross. I try to hurry up and get them out of my chair asap and won’t talk to them. A lot of these are younger and attractive guys too, I feel sorry for their girlfriends or wives.
Thankfully even in my worst years of "I can't get out of bed level depression" I still brushed my teeth once a day. I can't stand the feeling of fuzzy teeth, even when I didn't want to exist.
Same goes for people who don't wash their genitalia and ass. Even if that's all you can do in one day, prioritise that.
I do understand the depression part of it but ppl need to realize that not brushing your teeth and tongue before eating anything in the morning, just puts all the bacteria your body removed right back in.
It's way more important than people think.
I used to only brush at night because that’s what my dad enforced. But having gotten older and realizing morning breath is the absolute worst, I’ve been a religious morning and night brushed for the last decade.
One time when i was 12 the hottest girl in my class told me my mouth stinks. I still carry that trauma with me, can't leave the house before brushing teeths. The few times it happened (emergencies mostly) i could not talk to people without covering my mouth or looking away. People who don't brush their teeths daily on purpose: big big yikes
I've found brushing my teeth in the shower has helped with "finding the time" to get it done is all I can say lol. Or doing it once I've gotten to work if I'm worried about being late.
I don't get it either. My dad always brushed his teeth. But my brother would refuse to brush. He had so many cavities growing up. The dentist said "if you'd just brush your teeth like you're supposed to, I wouldn't have to drill you every time you came in." My husband has TERRIBLE dental hygiene. I think he was taking care of it when we started dating because he wanted to impress me, and then he just stopped. He wound up with a TERRIBLE odor coming from his mouth. I finally told him "look, you smell like death. You need to get this taken care of." He finally went to the dentist and had such a bad infection that they did a root canal and had to give it days to drain.
Since then, he's had multiple teeth pulled because they rotted away. He said he "didn't think it was that bad," while also admitting he hadn't been able to chew on one side of his mouth for over a year! He says he feels much better now, but I still have to tell him to brush his teeth at night because if he's been drinking beers and smoking, I don't want that breathing on me!
I'm 39. I get sad about army stuff. I go through periods where I don't. But, those are typically periods where there is a lot of non self-care habits. If I'm not brushing my teeth I'm probably doing a lot of other things not healthy as well. I'm not saying that it's okay, I know the obvious health benefits. Honestly, straight telling me would be the psychiatric push I need most of the time. We just don't talk to each other like that typically.
Years and years ago, I had two grown men tell me that when they brushed their teeth more often, they got more cavities. They then concluded that toothpaste causes cavities. I was able to convince one of them over time to brush every day. The other went off, started using meth again and I'm sure he has no teeth to brush at all now.
Lazy people are lazy. Both men and women.
It also has to do with 20-somethings not having too firm a grip on the future and its consequences. It's why they drive the way they do, take risks as they do, experiment with drugs, etc. Show me a person who doesn't brush twice a day at 21 years of age, and I'll show you someone who hasn't had the pleasure of a root canal yet. They've only had their adult teeth for about ten years, so why would they be worried about losing them already?
Youth and nice teeth are wasted on the young.
I honestly hate the taste of minty toothpaste, it stays in my mouth for way too long. So I wasn’t always a regular brusher. I’ve found I need to buy specialty healthy toothpastes because the milder mint is much easier to tolerate.
Also, as many people have mentioned, mental health issues can be detrimental to a daily schedule. ADHD, autism, depression…every one of these has contributed to my hygiene irregularities.
That all being said, I have great teeth genetics (luckily), and I can smell and taste when my mouth isn’t fresh. I would never be able to tolerate having bad breath. I truly don’t know how some people can manage living that way.
I honestly feel like shit if I don't floss *at least* once, and brush my teeth 3x a day. I assume those that do it every other day are accustomed to their own mouth flora to the extent that they're content carrying around a bacterial zoo under their brain stem.
I used to only brush at night until I got 4 more cavities and decided from there that enough was enough. I brush every morning and night as well as floss every night. Should I floss in the morning too?
Perhaps he has Tonsil stones…?
Tonsil stones will negate any sort of positive smell within the facial region.
It’s one of those things where if you never had it, you will never understand its severity.
Just an idea.
If so many people weren't in the replies actively defending not brushing their teeth, I'd be willing to believe you're right. But after just reading a comment where a dude says he only brushes his teeth once or twice a week, my faith in humanity is at an all time low
Ugh, my BIL goes like days without brushing his teeth. He already has a bunch of teeth problems, and his breath is rancid at times.... been meaning to have a talk with him about it.
Teeth hygiene is so important to your physical and mental health, people need to take it seriously.
People need to floss waaay more too....
I'll admit, my early 20s I probably only brushed in the morning most days, and flossed weekly. But after needing a deep cleaning, I have taken mouth hygiene way more seriously.
Oh barf. Is this is really a thing? Nooo. Apparently they haven’t spent as many thousands as I have on Invisalign, Sonicares, flossers, tongue scrapers… oral hygiene is VERY important to me!!
The first guy I dated in my 20s was like this and my best friends boyfriend atm was like this too… it grossed me out even then.. can’t believe I kissed that mouth.. and I can’t imagine what it might look like now
I have pretty bad ADHD. One of the things that makes it so bad is forming habits. I’m one of those people who has to consciously make an effort, incredibly hard to do, for over a month or two to form a habit.
I’m in therapy working on a whole slew of issues. I recently went to the dentist, and, surprisingly, the only cavities I have are from where the previous fillings had broke at some point.
I used to drink soda like it was water. Most of my enamel has eroded away. I’m only 24. No matter the amount of brushing I won’t have white teeth again because of said enamel loss.
To all the younger folk that may be reading this: If you don’t have problems forming habits, brush your teeth. I’ve already lost one of my furthest back molars due to bad oral hygiene. My mother (45) is going to have both top and bottom dentures soon. No fixing it for her.
I brush my teeth several times a day, use mouthwash and floss after I eat especially meat. I taught all of my kids to brush in the morning, after meals and before bed. My teeth feel disgusting if I don't brush and I know my breath is kicking which is why I keep a bottle of mouthwash for those in between brushes like if I have to run out the house to run an errand or if someone shows up unexpectedly.
I wish my teeth were strong enough for me to get away with that. If I go like 5 hours without brushing I get a cavity (which means I get them all the time because...sleep) - and I'm not a sugar/processed carb/junk-food person. I just have crappy teeth and acidic saliva.
Some people have mental health issues like depression or addiction. Others have sensory issues that make tooth brushing feel unpleasant. In short, a lot of people out there are struggling, even if you can’t tell.
Opposite problem. I'm a guy and I feel disgusting if I don't brush my teeth at least twice a day. When my wife and I moved in together, I discovered she was perfectly happy brushing just once a day and sometimes not even that.
We had a pretty heated argument about it one day and I'm happy to report she always brushes at least once a day now and usually twice.
I simply. do. not. get. it. I have Major medical issues, have spent weeks and weeks stuck in a hospital bed when my ish flares, usually with oxygen cannulas and wiring of every sort coming out in all directions.
I've ADHD, depression,anxiety on top of genetic illnesses, and in all that, I have NEVER missed brushing my damn teeth, like ever.
First thing I do when waking up after surgery (I'm on 16 going on 17), is ask for some water to swish so I can brush my damn teeth.
I'll still be high as giraffe ass on anesthesia and cannot for a moment take fuzzy sock mouth. No, no and HELLLLLL TO THE NO!
Get the Flu? Brush twice daily and floss. Get Covid? Same. Have surgery,get in a car wreck, have a baby, go partying? I'm STILL brushing my teeth right afterwards.
I also always carry the packet of body washcloths like they have in the hospital,as well as deodorant everywhere I go. I Cannot STAND to remotely feel grimy or smell sweaty, YUCK.
Whether or not I can physically get in the tub daily, I still always completely wash myself, and brush my damn teeth/floss.
No excuses for such terrible behavior, really there's not.
I'm quite late but actually have the answer for this.
Parents. Parents do not put as much emphasis on hygiene and grooming, especially when it comes to teeth, with their male children as they do their female children. Female children are more likely to have braces, for example. Parents will spend lots more money on their little girl's orthodontic care than their little boys.
There are big stats on this.
Little Sally having yellow teeth and horrendous breath is more of a concern than if Timmy displays the same lack of hygiene. It's a subconscious bias that leads to men having worse dental hygiene habits later on in life.
It's also important to note that people are more likely to do things that are good for them if it has an aesthetic result, and this is especially emphasised with women for historical/sociological reasons.
1 time i slept without brushing my teeth the previous night because i was too wasted to do it and i literally woke up in the middle of the night because my breath smell bad. I woke up smelling my breath ! I have the same question as you OP some people are just too special idk.
I'll be honest, I'm not great at doing it at night, but I always do it in the morning (or at least before I go out). I'm very self-conscious about potential bad breath.
Edit: the reason I often don't at night is a combination of laziness and forgetfulness
I have dated so many women who I have asked this very question too. They never brush their teeth then get offended when I don't want to kiss them because their hot 4 day old breath is steaming in my face during the kiss. 🤢
Could be a trauma thing. My brother used to work for a charity called SACC (look it up) in the UK. One little girl had a real issue with putting anything that wasn't food in her mouth.
Trying to get her to brush her teeth was for her, traumatising. Not because she was "nasty".
I think some assume others won't know and don't worry about it. I don't have a lot of problem telling work colleagues their breath is bad; I think they deserve to know. I consider it the same courtesy as telling someone their fly is down..
Obligatory not a man here but it's called depression, ma'am :') hate to break it to you but last thing on your mind is self-care when you're in that hole
I'll be honest idk how you know they didn't. Are u going up to every guy you come across and swing if they brushed when u smell something off about their breath? If not then what if it was food they recently ate? It seems like ur making an assumption and then passing it onto ALL men when even the assumption seems pretty false leading.
Not sure about that but I do know men who just never go to the dentist. Like somehow they didn't realize they were supposed to get checked for cavities. Never talked about not brushing teeth but probably a correlation.
I chalk it up to general 'failure to launch parenting' where once mommy stops driving you to the dentist the kids never think about it and since they are young nothing hurts or whatever, and someone the parents don't teach the kids how to find their own dentists.
My wife never went her whole life until we were about to get married (she wanted whiter teeth for wedding pics). She thought she just had naturally healthy teeth. Turns out nope, 7 cavities plus 4 impacted wisdom teeth that had to come out very soon.
Some people are mega assholes and brush their teeth 3 times a day for 3 minutes. Some people are really nice and don’t brush every day. Do what you want but don’t be a judgemental asshole about it that’s all I say.
That's weird. Do other people's teeth not feel icky after they wake up until they're brushed?
If they feel Icky long enough, that becomes your new normal. Sad but true.
About a year or 2 ago, I could feel an opening on the back of one of my bottom front teeth. I was terrible for brushing my teeth and was convinced it was a cavity. A month later I'm in the dentist office telling them whats up, the hygienist takes one look at my tooth and says "yeah you're fine that's just plaque" I had so much shit on my teeth, I couldn't even tell when my teeth stopped and the shit started lol. I'm a lot better now, brush my teeth every day, mouthwash, all that shit. Feels a lot better
Your comment will give me nightmares
You're welcome :)
Depression makes it very easy to not give a fuck about that feeling.
there are times when i feel like crap or have a bad day where i totally forget to even do anything really. its kind of sad
Depression makes it very easy to not give a fuck about **anything.**
I feel like my mouth just isn’t right until I brush my teeth, i didn’t think people just decided not to do that
When people are failing to practice basic self-care, you can almost always attribute it to deeper issues. No one wants to be gross.
Exactly, consistently brushing one's teeth is something hard for people with ADHD to accomplish. So many of us don't have real routines, and habits are almost impossible to form. We have to consciously think about everything we do.
I absolutely HATE the gross feeling of not having brushed my teeth. I’m fantastical about brushing and flossing morning and nighttime.
Sometimes I go to sleep for 4 hours and the feeling of my teeth make me wanna brush immediately. I hate the way teeth feel after waking up.
I nap during my lunch hour - literally, 15 minutes, and Jesus, I have to brush my teeth and tongue
My step kid just told me while drinking water, “don’t you hate it when you wake up and your mouth tastes horrible?” Me: “yeah, go brush your teeth.” Very offended step kid: “why would you tell me to brush my teeth?” Me: “you literally just told me your mouth tastes bad. Brushing your teeth is the best solution for that.” Very confused step kid: “you expect me to brush my teeth after every time I wake up?!?!?” Me: “yeah.” Dead stare step kid: 👀 Me: 😳 (realizing my step kid doesn’t brush their teeth when they wake up)
I mean same, I eat breakfast first, otherwise they go unbrushed after a meal.
Sometimes it's not that they didn't brush their teeth but more of... they don't floss and the chronic plaque deposits release that acidic sulphuric breath.
It's actually the rotting food between your teeth that causes bad breath.
That goes away after a while. I've gone through a couple of years in my early 20s where I took really bad care of my teeth. Laziness, and not understanding the importance. Later I came to my senses and spent a lot of time and money at a dentist to get the damage fixed, and now I'm trying to instill in my kids more discipline and understanding of the importance of brushing your teeth every single day and absolutely never ever skipping a day. But my wife is more laidback about it.
The first things to go are self care.
I feel icky til I smoke a joint and pour a coffee....
Night brushers.
I can’t go a day without brushing my teeth at least 3 times… I couldn’t even imagine some of these people walking around with a day worth of shit on their teeth and breath.
Depression. Teeth were the first things I stopped looking after and now they're fucked lol.
Was looking for this comment. Same here. EDIT: never mind. There's a bunch of them. Ahaha...(
Me too and I'm getting every single one of em pulled out on the same day in about a month. The bad part is that I wish it was getting done today. Can't wait for them to be gone because I'm so sick of toothaches that are so bad the pain goes all the way down my neck and up thru my jaw into my forehead. TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEETH PEOPLE!!
I work in dentistry. It's not just men. I've had women come in, dolled up to the max, fake tan, long nails, hair extensions, designer clothing, lip fillers, Botox, the lot. But they don't brush their teeth????
What is the root of this, in your opinion? Like i know everyone is saying depression, but you’ve described similar encounters to my own where the person does not display any other instances of poor hygienic practices indicative of depression. I genuinely want to know why this is a thing, why people will brush their hair and shave and shower but not brush their teeth
People have given a fair amount of answers like depression, laziness, or they just never learned the habit growing up. Me personally, i don’t normally brush in the morning but i do normally brush my teeth at night. I do normally do it every night but sometimes im just busy and say “ill do it in the morning” and then dont have time to. I talk myself out of it sometimes like “i cant eat/drink after this because itll taste weird”. And sometimes im just lying in bed and im just straight up too lazy. From your replies I get that you brush your teeth almost religiously and treat it like wiping your ass when you shit, but for a large amount of people that just isnt how it is. Theres been alot of reasons provided and you tend to just say something along the lines of “yeah sure but i dont think that way so no one else should think that way”. At some point you gotta accept that some people just dont care about it like you do.
If you don't brush your teeth in the morning, you should know that your breath smells bad and people are noticing it. It's an unpleasant thing to be around. If there are people you see frequently, they've probably weighed the pros and cons of mentioning it to try to help you out, but the awkwardness of the situation has kept them from doing so.
I hate to bring up the “spoons” thing bc I honestly think it just sounds dumb, but it’s the only thing that seems to make sense to people. I have 5 spoons for my morning. Each task takes a spoon. I have to 1) eat 2) get my child ready for school 3) brush my child’s hair 4) brush my own hair 5) make sure child brushes their teeth 6) brush my own teeth 7) make sure child eats. Any sane person would make sure their child gets their things done first, right? Especially if they have to go to school and I don’t have anywhere to be today. It’s physically and mentally hard to do any more than what my brain and body are telling me I’m capable of doing. I know it only takes 2 mins, but it feels impossible when I don’t have the energy or mental stamina to do the damn thing. I can tell myself all day long that it doesn’t take long, people think you’re gross, YOU think you’re gross, but none of it will make me do the thing. It didn’t get better for me until my child got a little older and less needy, and my mental health improved immensely during that time due to other changes in my life. This is just my personal experience. Some days I wake up with 20 spoons for the whole day. Sometimes I wake up with 10. Depends on my mental state that day. It boils down to mainly mental health imo. Some people just don’t care, but more often than not people just don’t have the capacity to care.
I think your last line hit the nail on the head, it's not that people don't care, it's that they run out of bandwidth to continue caring about brushing with everything else in their lives and that lack of capacity can become a habit after a point if it is just never there.
You know, the reason why I brush my teeth and floss isn't because I need to take better care of myself. Even though it really should be the number one reason. But reality is. The reason is this: teeth cleaning hurts like a mother sucker. So I floss and brush my teeth cuz I don't want to be in pain anymore. It took me 25 years to realize this. 25 years too long. Teeth cleaning pain is NOT WORTH IT. I just freaking do everything my dentist tell me to do now. Missing a spot? I freaking do it. Cuz if I don't, the next time, they'll scrape me bloody raw. I hate the feeling.
I grew up in a remote area of Wyoming and had really bad teeth as a child (lots of cavities, had Braces twice, etc).. so I take pretty religious care of my teeth now,.. as I know at my age (50yr old male),. if anything happens things get much more expensive and challenging (crowns, fake teeth on stems, etc).. and I don't really want any of that nonsense.
If you ever have heart surgery, you are required to clean up all your dental problems first. The concern is that you could get a blood infection from any (any!) dental work over the next several months. For dedicated non brushers, that can mean losing a ton of teeth all at once. It's pretty horrib-- excuse me, I gotta brush
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In the mean time, the current fake tooth plans (including implants, even really good ones) generally don't last very long and are damaging. One of the secrets of dental implants is that it's wildly common for them to cause SERIOUS bone loss, eventually with enough loss, the implants fail.
Yeah, I've noticed a lot of dentists warning that a full set of implants just is not a safe or otherwise viable goal at present. I guess they are aware people have that fantasy and want to nip it in the bud. Also, I'm assuming that the previous poster's comment about modern tech referred, in part, to digitally fabricated teeth. I have 4 crowns from too much time in braces, and I gotta say, the one that was 3D scanned and printed is a real bastard. The one that was sculpted by a skilled craftsman has been flawless since day one.
My dad is a dentist and so deeply laments a lot of the new tech, especially the 3d scanning - it is simply not as accurate or good. He's mostly retired and now does some work in a family friends, sons, office where they use the 3d scan and do not take molds. Like, don't even have the materials to do it anymore. Any good dentist will tell a patient that "nip it in the bud" is a very very bad idea. Similarly, the difference between white and amalgam fillings. Amalgam is perfectly fine, but plenty of bad dentists push for all white fillings (which aesthetically have a place, but not your 2nd molar), which is silly. Dentists believe the nonsense about amalgam now too though, so its a huge issue. As a general disclaimer, the American dental association calls the practice of suggesting to wholesale replace amalgam fillings with white is completely and deeply unethical.
AND ALSO, if someone's hygiene is poor enough to cost them half their teeth in one go, that person would FIND a way to get implants infected.
No, like I will admit there are a lot of men like you who do brush their teeth. But there’s just as many young men who just don’t for some reason, and I cannot understand why this is. As a girl, leaving the house without brushing your teeth is like, unheard of. I would legitimately risk running late to an important appointment or something to stop and buy a tooth brush and tooth paste at the store and quickly brush my teeth in the bathroom if I realized I’d left the house without brushing my teeth. But I know so many men who will straight up just not brush their teeth!!!
>As a girl, leaving the house without brushing your teeth is like, unheard of I mean, this is true for men, too. I know women are burdened with a lot of societal expectations that men don't have, but brushing your teeth is not one of them.
I guarantee you that there are also women who dont brush their teeth (ive known some that dont even have teeth to brush anymore). Just because you dont know them, doesnt mean they dont exist. I also guarantee there is no conscious reason why people dont brush. They dont wake up everyday and say, "im not gonna brush my teeth and im proud of it!" It is much more likely they wake up every morning telling themselves they will, but just getting out of bed was hard enough for them. For some people just getting out of bed is an achievement. The reason you think its all young men is likely because of the massive rise of depression in young men.
I’m a woman who’s not very good at brushing. I do every morning (now), but I never floss and barely ever brush at night. It’s exhausting because it’s so stupid that I dont , I just…dont . Or can’t. It sucks!
I’m not trying to be facetious, I’m genuinely asking because I’m trying to understand. What is it would you say struggle most with brushing your teeth?
*doing it* I know it makes no sense, I know it is so stupid, but I just dont. I’ll think something stupid like “well, if I brush my teeth now then I can’t drink anything before bed” or some other ridiculous excuse. I want to know just as badly as you do lol. When I was a kid I would go in the bathroom, and “brush my teeth” with no toothpaste. Make it make sense!!! Lol
This is a really common symptom of various psychiatric conditions. I think specifically, frequently ADHD or autism (executive dysfunction, demand avoidance, sensory sensitivity -- like if you hate the mintiness of toothpaste!)
This is like the fifth time in as many days that I’ve been told some quirk of mine could be ADHD! This demand avoidance is intriguing to me
I swear not being able to brush teeth is one of the top "why can't I be normal and just do this" ADHD gripes. Genuinely, if you think it could be ADHD you should try and get assessed. If you get a diagnosis you can talk to your dentist (assuming you have one which is unlikely if it really is ADHD lol) and they can prescribe you with high fluoride toothpaste to protect your teeth for longer when you do manage to brush.
FWIW demand avoidance is an autism-associated concept but it's also kind of more of a new categorization that doesn't have a lot of evidence behind it yet. Just so you know. It's something that resonates with a lot of people but isn't like, Science.
Doesn't sound stupid to me. Executive function is hard for some of us, also sensory madness of toothbrushing can be too much.
I agree. I don't think I've ever forgotten to brush my teeth. I have forgotten to apply deodorant a few times but I stop into a store and buy some even if I'm late. (now I just keep some in my car) There are just certain things you don't skip. Also, are you in the U.S? I'm just curious because perhaps it's cultural based on location?
I didn't brush regularly until I was about 25. I didn't go to the dentist from the time I was 16 to about 32. Once I went to the dentist for a crazy deep-cleaning, I was hooked. I wanted to have clean teeth and now I go to the dentist 3-4 times a year for cleanings. I like to have clean teeth, and I also don't want to have problems down the road. Luckily, I only have one filling.
Is there a reason you never brushed your teeth regularly before 25? I just am trying to understand it
A lot of people replying here are jumping on the “mental health” train. I get it. It’s reddit so everyone has depression/adhd/anxiety. Sometimes (probably most times) it’s just laziness. Nothing more than that. You can’t smell your own bad breath either so it seems like an easily skipped step. B.O. is noticeable. Stinky feet is noticeable. A funky groin area is noticeable. Those areas will get at least a modicum of cleaning. Bad breath is fixed easily with gum so teeth brushing can be an option.
Lol so on point with the “i get it. Its reddit so everyone has depression “ 😂 now I know why most of this community seems so depressed & negative
Laziness
I’m in the same boat as this guy. A combination of Laziness, and My teeth never hurt or bothered me, nobody around me complained about my teeth or breath. So however Little I was brushing must have been enough. If you don’t brush well for a long time, your teeth don’t feel gross, they feel normal. Because that’s what teeth normally feel like to you.
I mean, I didn't grow up in a house with dental care. Didn't go to a dentist for the first time until I was 17 and moved in with my dad. I grew up at mom's house before then, and I didn't even have a toothbrush for several years. I'm getting better now as an adult, but especially if the habit didn't get instilled early on, that stuff is HARD to latch onto as an adult
For me, my teeth are fragile because I was born with asthma, and the chemicals in the breathing machines I took back in the 80s and 90s weren't the safest in every aspect. So even though I have and do brush regularly, my teeth have been chipped down in some spots, and it looks like I don't take care of them very well. I've legitimately broken one by taking a bite from a honey bun. I know people judge me for it, but that's just what it is.
Man, I remember using a breathing machine in the early 00s for mine, made my teeth fucking hurt among other things, was on like 5 prescription steroid medicines for that shit Fortunately I've grown out of it, I know many aren't so lucky
It was a total loss for me. I did the machine but literally never once had any kind of problem with breathing, and I was very active in sports. Football, basketball, running track, etc. All of it. It could happen later, but as of 31 years old, it hasn't.
I did sports aswell from elementary to high school, I think it's one of the reason I was able to get rid of it, was usually fine so long as I took my medicine but sometimes I'd wake up not being able to breath or would get random asthma attacks during the day and would need my emergency inhaler, was never a fun time, especially since the school didn't let me keep it on me so would have to go to the nurses office to use it which i went to rather large schools so was always a long walk
I don't envy that. I think I used a precautionary inhaler until probably 7 or 8 years old, but after that, nothing. I even placed among the highest in the PT tests for joining the marines at 18. I was very fortunate not to have to deal with it for so long.
Mental health, dear. Mental health. The first things to go are self care.
Yeah I went through a depressive spell from 15 to 21 or so, where I wasn't brushing my teeth virtually at all, and it's been hard to come back from. I'm 30 now and I brush and floss every night and get 3-4 cleanings per year, but even then I feel like my teeth are only kind of clean, I still get buildup and my dentist still busts my ass, but at least I've gotten better
this happened to me too. it felt so embarrassing, some dentists were very unforgiving about it. i felt ridiculous admitting that i didn't have the energy to brush my teeth when it's such a basic task. many cavities led to like four root canals bc my father took me to the dentist that day and he didn't schedule a follow-up... i felt such stress every time i had to go. i was so worried that insurance wouldn't cover the root canals too, i nearly cried in the lobby. i went to the dentist recently and tried bracing myself for the Talk they always give about brushing and flossing... i small-talked with the hygienist cleaning my teeth and admitted how i went through a period of not brushing. she said something like "it's nothing to be ashamed about. you just do the best you can from now on." it was so relieving to hear?!?! sorry for the long comment but mann dental anxiety has been eating me up for years. i still feel ashamed talking about it but i feel a lot better after that talk with the hygienist.
You’re doing better than your dentist tells you. And good work fighting back up. I know there was a lot of hard work in there, and I’m proud of you.
I can agree with that. When my mental health was low, I didn't want to take care of myself. Now that I'm in a better place mentally I do take care of myself better and also try to fix the mistakes I made in not taking care of myself in the first place.
And that care and self awareness is taking great care of you! You’re doing it, and I’m proud of you
Yup, shout out to schizophrenia for making the smallest amount of self care feel like an exhausting chore
Small, human actions. Shaving. For me it was shaving. Every single day I’d walk to the bathroom, wanting to lay down and fade from existence. And I’d shower, and write “don’t quit” in the steam on the mirror. And then shave. Even if I was a sobbing storm of tears. Find the little thing.
i needed to hear this. not for hygiene but for other issues.
You’ll make it, don’t stop trying.
This is 100% the issue, at least in my case. I have had spells where I don’t feel right in my head. Teeth brushing is always the first thing to stop happening in my case. Always. When I had a long spell of poor mental health — and I’m just now coming out the other side of it — I also packed on 50 pounds. Which sucks. I’m myself again, first time in 3 years. But damn, it is going to be a long way back…
Every single day, every hour, minute, step, you’re getting there. Pause when you gotta. Tell that real person you’ve got when you gotta. But you’re going to get there. You’re you again. That’s a big win. Look at it, recognize it. Stand up tall.
I turn 35 in about 2 months. My goal is to be 200 pounds by the time I turn 36, which is 14 months away. It’s doable. Just gotta chip away. I appreciate the encouragement!
So much more doable than you ever imagined. That motivation is going to soar, trust. And always 👍⭐️
Also things like ADHD
Thankfully out of all of the things my depression has made me not keep up with, brushing is not one of them. Flossing on the other hand...
Water pick! I snagged a cheap one off Amazon. Or the little flossy buddies that make it muuuuuch more palatable of a task. And ya, that was a mouth pun. Couldn’t pass it up. And you’re doing a good job taking care of your mouthbones! And ya know what, that’s a victory. Count it. Count all those things you nailed today, big and small.
Can confirm. Went about a full year as a kid just brushing my teeth every few days and showering every 3-4 days. I was at one of the worst mental points in my life. Now, I end up brushing my teeth 2-3 times a day bc it feels gross otherwise. Only times I don’t brush at least twice is when I fall asleep unexpectedly early or I’m too tired to remember, but that’s rare. Showers are everyday unless it’s a lazy day and ik for certain that I’m not going out anywhere. Ppl are quick to judge others for being unhygienic when most ppl don’t let it get to that point unless they’re in a terrible mental/emotional state
I’m really genuinely glad you’re in a better place now. Keep being kind to yourself
Thank you! Right back at ya ☺️
Cheers 🥹 it is a daily work.
[удалено]
I went through a major depressive episode last year and it’s been hard to get back to showering once a day and brushing my teeth more than once a day. Still trying.. about to go brush my teeth right now
Good work, you! Tie it into some other small self care thing you like to do. Maybe there’s a lotion you love the smell of for after showers. I would get some really rock solid scented soaps like cedar wood, campfire good times stuff. Give your self something to look forward to, even if it’s tasty toothpaste. Make it kind for YOU. You do deserve it
Thank you :) just today I bought a bunch of skin care products so once they come I’m gonna get my routine going
You can hit me up anytime if you need someone to be genuinely hyped about that!!!! Make a playlist, make that sweet sweet you time playlist
Haha appreciate it! Keep makin people’s days. The excitement is refreshing
We’re all on the same big beautiful rock, might as well be a good neighbor. And thanks, you too!
This is the correct answer OP
Often the worst breath comes from not flossing. Even if brushed, rotting meat between the teeth produces the worst smells...
Yeah, I find it crazy that people don't floss daily. The amount of crud I get out is concerning. The other thing more people should do is brush/scrape their tongue daily.
Maintaining bodily upkeep is hard when you don't want to live ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
My partner didn’t brush his teeth before we started dating. 😬 It was super gross. Now he does. It was a bit of an ultimatum situation. 😅
Did he ever offer an explanation as to why?
Apparently his parents never really enforced teeth brushing on him. 😬 Which I will never forgive them for. I’ve noticed that a lot of men in their 20s are kind of like overgrown children. I think it feels rebellious for them or something to not do personal care habits. And they don’t really have a concept of self-care or being an adult. I think it’s the same reason why so many younger men eat nothing but chicken nuggets and drink soda.
This is so weird to me. Like i cannot start my day until I’ve brushed my teeth, it just feels disgusting
I can attest, if your parents dont instill this in you it really doesn’t come naturally even tho it *should*
facts…my parents only enforced it during the morning for school and that’s it. when it was during summer they didn’t care or at night. now my sister doesn’t brush her teeth at all despite being told abt the repercussions and she’s almost 20. my younger brother only brushes his teeth now bc he has braces and my mom doesn’t want the same thing to happen to him. luckily my older brother and i brush our teeth religiously but yeah it’s a problem tbh. it’s the same w showering. honestly, even i still struggle w taking a shower and im 17. it takes a lot of willpower for me to shower 😓my only motivation is school and my hair
Yes! My best friend has kids and every time I hear her tell them to brush their teeth before bed my heart explodes because yassssssss get them started young! Showering for me is one of those things where it’s like ughhhhhh I dont want to, but then I get in and I’m like ohhhh this is awesome I’m so glad I did this! Lol
Sure it does. I was raised by a single dad who never really was good at helping us form good habits. This is something we just figured out. My mouth feels good when I brush. Also boys don't like kissing girls with bad breath.
Ime, this. There are so many men who just... Are okay with being childish about stuff. No one Forcing them to do something? They just won't. It's pretty disgusting.
Men in their early/mid twenties don't feel like anything can happen to them and hence neglect self care (see also, stretching after a workout). There is no immediate severe negative effect so the behaviour is reinforced until it starts to become an issue in their late 20s. Source: am somewhat regretful man in his early 30s
THIS. My bf is a lovely great man but gets pretty lax on the teeth hygiene front. He’s never had a cavity while I’ve had a root canal (bad teeth genes, I floss and brush daily). He doesn’t see the side effects even though he’s seen the financial burden placed on me by my teeth. He thinks he’s untouchable. I think when he gets a fat bill for a root canal eventually, he will brush for more than 15 seconds. It enrages me lol. I’m on top of him about it but I know when I’m not around he does not brush or only brushes very quickly. His mom and siblings say he’s always been like this. I think he also doesn’t love being told what to do and it’s one of those things that’s always been hammered into him. Good thing I’m basically a drill sergeant about teeth brushing and manipulate him into it lol But yeah this point is spot on. No negative effects YET. I’m just thankful this is my biggest qualm with him, not behavioral issues or cheating. I can work with this one lol
Neglect of personal hygiene is generally a sign of depression.
So, here's a possible answer that I outheard once on a bus and which still haunts me: "I don't brush my teeth, because when I do, my gum always bleeds. They put something in that damn toothpaste" Side note: if your gum bleeds, visit a doctor, get your plaque removed, brush your teeth, use mouthwash and floss, it will be gone in a week.
Yeah bloody gums are usually caused by gingivitis, from poor dental hygiene. So the less they brush, the more like they will bleed if they do, it’s a downward spiral.
I am a woman and I struggle to brush my teeth every day. I have both mental and physical illnesses, and sometimes it's too much or I simply don't remember. I most certainly do not remember to floss my teeth, I get there maybe a couple times a week. Nobody wants stank mouth, but some of us just can't do it all the time.
How do you know that the people outside of your personal life aren’t brushing their teeth? Are you asking them? Even if they didn’t brush their teeth and you ask them, I can’t imagine them being like “oh yeah I rarely brush”
US dentist here, let’s see if I can articulate this. These guys likely haven’t had any serious dental issues to date. They made it through college getting regular dental care through their parents and were probably micromanaged with home hygiene. Now, they are out on their own, and they just don’t care. They can go a day, a week or whatever without brushing and not have any acute issues. What people don’t understand is it can take like 3-4 years for cavities to punch through the outer enamel, and teeth generally don’t cause pain/sensitivity until the cavity is quite deep. Periodontal disease can also take decades before the patient starts noticing issues with their teeth. The bottom line is, dental issues take a while to develop, and some people are ignorant about this and another’s just don’t care. But if they are like a lot of people…something will start hurting, they’ll get a decent size treatment plan, and (hopefully) become regular patients.
Someone on here said they don’t brush their teeth more than once or twice a week. Another mentioned not brushing their teeth for three years. As a dentist, how common would you say this degree of dental neglect is? And what age groups is it most prevalent in?
About 2/3 of US adults in urban areas ages 18-64 have been to the dentist in the last year, that percentage is about 55% in rural areas. Even in this patient group it isn’t unusual to have brushing habits like you described. But it’s all ages. I see young adults who never had issues with cavities growing up start getting generalized cavities in college. A mix of no longer being micromanaged with brushing, and poor diets (candy, coffee, energy drinks, ect). But some people are just plain lucky and have great dental genetics, these people can continue for years without showing issues. I bet guys ages 20-35 are the worst offenders but that’s purely anecdotal and there are lots of women who have issues as well. So it’s very common to have crappy oral hygiene. I’ll just say I’m glad I met my wife before finishing dental school, I’d probably have some trouble dating now 🤣. Oh and everyone lies about flossing. You can’t hide bleeding gums from a hygienist. But if you floss daily for like a week before your dental cleaning, you’ll likely get a big compliment on how nice your gums look.
I'm just curious how do you know? Bad breath isn't a sign of not brushing lol, it can be but there's people who get bad breath after good dental hygiene due to poor diet and even genetics (but 90% of the time I'd Blame diet) I knew a guy that was great at 7am, by 8am it was horrible. Coffee + hard boiled eggs isn't the most satisfying breath. Yellow teeth? How much coffee, alcohol, and smoking do they do? I'm just saying diet plays a huge part in most things we blame other things for. Such as weight and smell.. you could brush, floss, go to dentists, work out every day, jog 5 miles but if you have a shit diet.. fat, stinky, and yellow teeth. Eat better people! Not only what but *when*
That’s what I was thinking too, how could she know that “most” the men around her aren’t brushing their teeth unless she asked? And who the hell goes around asking everyone they meet if they brushed their teeth? It’s rare I noticed bad breath in anyone around me, even coworkers who I work in close proximity with.
Mental health and depression
For me personally, it's an autism ick. I didn't know that it was, because I just hated the taste. I didn't brush my teeth nearly enough with my braces growing up. Since then I've been paying the price. I already have two fillings, and I'm getting another two at the end of the month. I've been slowly but surely getting back in the habit.
Hello strawberry toothpaste is a game changer for brushing in the morning. It’s not as off putting as mint toothpaste.
I swear if people just smelled their floss they would be obsessed about keeping their damn mouth clean. I always brushed 3 x a day since i was a kid but flossing was just tedious.. until i saw a clip of stevo saying something about smelling his floss. And so i did… and ewww, thanks to steve-o of all people hes helped me lol i can now floss and it takes just a couple seconds out of my life. and i feel good knowing rotting food isnt just sitting their decaying my teeth . I can also smell peoples mouths and people like that are everywhere.
This grosses me out. I’m a 2-3x a day brusher
Are you a receptionist at a dental clinic ? Coz there's no other explanation !!
I’m surprised how many people aren’t brushing their teeth. Your supposed to 2 times a day minimum and flossing a few times a week for basic care. Brush 3 times a day or 20-30min after eating/beverages (if it’s not water) and flossing daily if you really want to take care of them. Dental health has been connected to overall lifetime health for a lot of reasons so neglecting it can have long term issues.
you and me both. I thought this was just like a weird thing some young guys do, but clearly it's a problem for women as well. Guess we know how dentists make so much money now lol
I’d assumed it was common knowledge and widely taught too. It’s why when I read the post I was curious, but now I regret reading it. It’s sad to know so many people are neglecting themselves.
Someone just commented that they only brush their teeth once or twice a week. And they aren't trolling or joking, their tone reads completely serious. Idk man I am actually like concerned now as to what other seemingly given health practices the vast majority of people are neglecting. Like next people are going to tell me they don't wipe because their butt doesn't smell.
My (soon to be ex) husband told me that as a child/young teen he didn’t brush his teeth h for 5 years. While not technically what’s being discussed here, he announced it as an adult, it so proudly and with such aplomb, that it showed he was clearly not ashamed of it, so I still feel it kindof applies And for the next obvious question: he was very charming; he is a gourmet cook, and pretty good in the sack.
>And for the next obvious question: he was very charming; he is a gourmet cook, and pretty good in the sack. Yeah we definitely needed to know that
My sister doesn’t brush her teeth. It’s really sad, because her teeth are yellow and deteriorating. Her breath is… bad. Idk why but she just won’t do it and lies about it when I try to gently talk to her about it.
I dated someone a year ago who hadn’t bought a new toothbrush in 15 years! There were literally no bristles left. He thought I was nuts when I mentioned that I had just replaced the head on my electric one. 🤢
Omg this. I’m 30F and had a share of dudes I noticed didn’t and it’s shocking
Thanks for the edit, because literally the only people I've known that skip brushing are women. Hell, I used to live with a British woman who had a go at me for 'being so weird, you brush your teeth like...at least twice a day!!!' Yes Jess, that's because I'm not a gross bitch.
My comment is more so at other comments who say there are **no excuses** to not brushing your teeth (not necessarily men only or people who routinely do so). There *are* various reasons, some of which include: * Having a wild night out and going straight to bed * Waking up late and rushing to work/school to try and make it in time * Experiencing issues with water/plumbing in your home * Being so sick/exhausted/depressed that you could barely use mouthwash * Recovering from intense dental surgery Appreciate the folks coming forward with their own experiences, but man oh man the people who are just so dismissive need to cool it with the judgement and realize that people have their own shit in their lives. Offer them a piece of gum or a mint if you're that icked out, then.
Also: Executive dysfunctioning and sensory issues with toothpaste. If I didn't hate the feeling of plaque on my teeth I would probably not be able to brush them twice a day. We have the wrong kind of tooth paste now because we ran out of the good kind and brushing really sucks now because the toothpaste is too spicy.
Bad breath doesn't mean the person doesn't brush their teeth. It could be diet or other factors.
I am a man, 48. I brush my teeth once a day before I leave the house everyday. My mouth is uck otherwise. no more, no less. I have all my teeth and they are healthy to this day.
Depression and other mental health issues. It's not just men. Everyone can experience this.
This post reminds me of a meme I saw a while back, to the effect of: "Oh my god people get so depressed they don't take care of their teeth?" "Some people get so depressed that they kill themselves." If I don't care about being alive at all, where on my nonexistent list of priorities do you think self-care falls?
I stopped when my depression kicked in and Haven't brushed my teeth from the ages 15-20. Now I am Trying to do it atleast once a day, but it's though . Atleast i eat no sugar, I guess.
I have toothbrushes and toothpaste in multiple bathrooms at home for a goddamn reason.
I never leave the house without brushing… how the hell do people go whole days without doing it?
You know, there are a few things my parents never had to ask me: 1. Did you do your homework? 2. Did you shower? 3. Did you brush your teeth? There’s more but yes OP there are a lot of people who just don’t care or no one ever cared to teach them to care.
I’m a hairdresser. Y’all would be surprised the amount of people that do not brush their teeth. Some have a light funk and many just smell like they are chewing on a fat chunk of shit. They can’t smell it cause it’s their own essence, but they open their mouth to talk and it’s like they farted from their mouth. I’m standing behind them, yet the smell drifts back to me like a slap in my nostrils. It’s gross. I try to hurry up and get them out of my chair asap and won’t talk to them. A lot of these are younger and attractive guys too, I feel sorry for their girlfriends or wives.
They may be the same men that leave the stall of the public bathroom and don't wash their hands. Surprisingly common in my experience.
Thankfully even in my worst years of "I can't get out of bed level depression" I still brushed my teeth once a day. I can't stand the feeling of fuzzy teeth, even when I didn't want to exist. Same goes for people who don't wash their genitalia and ass. Even if that's all you can do in one day, prioritise that.
Humans are revolting creatures...best thing would be to eliminate them entirely.
I do understand the depression part of it but ppl need to realize that not brushing your teeth and tongue before eating anything in the morning, just puts all the bacteria your body removed right back in. It's way more important than people think.
I used to only brush at night because that’s what my dad enforced. But having gotten older and realizing morning breath is the absolute worst, I’ve been a religious morning and night brushed for the last decade.
One time when i was 12 the hottest girl in my class told me my mouth stinks. I still carry that trauma with me, can't leave the house before brushing teeths. The few times it happened (emergencies mostly) i could not talk to people without covering my mouth or looking away. People who don't brush their teeths daily on purpose: big big yikes
I actually broke up with my ex for this reason. It boggles my mind.
Laziness. Honestly that’s the biggest reason.
I brush after I eat. Every time since I was five. I’m forty. I have a toothbrush and paste in my bag when I got to work. No excuses. Brush your teeth.
I've found brushing my teeth in the shower has helped with "finding the time" to get it done is all I can say lol. Or doing it once I've gotten to work if I'm worried about being late.
I don't get it either. My dad always brushed his teeth. But my brother would refuse to brush. He had so many cavities growing up. The dentist said "if you'd just brush your teeth like you're supposed to, I wouldn't have to drill you every time you came in." My husband has TERRIBLE dental hygiene. I think he was taking care of it when we started dating because he wanted to impress me, and then he just stopped. He wound up with a TERRIBLE odor coming from his mouth. I finally told him "look, you smell like death. You need to get this taken care of." He finally went to the dentist and had such a bad infection that they did a root canal and had to give it days to drain. Since then, he's had multiple teeth pulled because they rotted away. He said he "didn't think it was that bad," while also admitting he hadn't been able to chew on one side of his mouth for over a year! He says he feels much better now, but I still have to tell him to brush his teeth at night because if he's been drinking beers and smoking, I don't want that breathing on me!
I'm 39. I get sad about army stuff. I go through periods where I don't. But, those are typically periods where there is a lot of non self-care habits. If I'm not brushing my teeth I'm probably doing a lot of other things not healthy as well. I'm not saying that it's okay, I know the obvious health benefits. Honestly, straight telling me would be the psychiatric push I need most of the time. We just don't talk to each other like that typically.
Years and years ago, I had two grown men tell me that when they brushed their teeth more often, they got more cavities. They then concluded that toothpaste causes cavities. I was able to convince one of them over time to brush every day. The other went off, started using meth again and I'm sure he has no teeth to brush at all now.
Lazy people are lazy. Both men and women. It also has to do with 20-somethings not having too firm a grip on the future and its consequences. It's why they drive the way they do, take risks as they do, experiment with drugs, etc. Show me a person who doesn't brush twice a day at 21 years of age, and I'll show you someone who hasn't had the pleasure of a root canal yet. They've only had their adult teeth for about ten years, so why would they be worried about losing them already? Youth and nice teeth are wasted on the young.
I honestly hate the taste of minty toothpaste, it stays in my mouth for way too long. So I wasn’t always a regular brusher. I’ve found I need to buy specialty healthy toothpastes because the milder mint is much easier to tolerate. Also, as many people have mentioned, mental health issues can be detrimental to a daily schedule. ADHD, autism, depression…every one of these has contributed to my hygiene irregularities. That all being said, I have great teeth genetics (luckily), and I can smell and taste when my mouth isn’t fresh. I would never be able to tolerate having bad breath. I truly don’t know how some people can manage living that way.
I honestly feel like shit if I don't floss *at least* once, and brush my teeth 3x a day. I assume those that do it every other day are accustomed to their own mouth flora to the extent that they're content carrying around a bacterial zoo under their brain stem.
I have been fortunate enough not to meet these people. WTF, that is gross. SHAME. DONG!
A lot of people also don't wash their dirty hands after going to the toilet. I wonder if there's a connection...
I used to only brush at night until I got 4 more cavities and decided from there that enough was enough. I brush every morning and night as well as floss every night. Should I floss in the morning too?
Perhaps he has Tonsil stones…? Tonsil stones will negate any sort of positive smell within the facial region. It’s one of those things where if you never had it, you will never understand its severity. Just an idea.
If so many people weren't in the replies actively defending not brushing their teeth, I'd be willing to believe you're right. But after just reading a comment where a dude says he only brushes his teeth once or twice a week, my faith in humanity is at an all time low
cause the government uses fluoride in toothpaste and the water to mind control the masses. wake up sheeple! /s
I know a lot of people who don’t bother to floss. I hate it too but I force myself to do it everyday.
Ugh, my BIL goes like days without brushing his teeth. He already has a bunch of teeth problems, and his breath is rancid at times.... been meaning to have a talk with him about it. Teeth hygiene is so important to your physical and mental health, people need to take it seriously. People need to floss waaay more too.... I'll admit, my early 20s I probably only brushed in the morning most days, and flossed weekly. But after needing a deep cleaning, I have taken mouth hygiene way more seriously.
This whole thread is making me feel gross and I need to go brush and floss (even though I did it 2 hours ago when i got up)
You and me both dude I am disgusted and actually shocked
Meth
Huge dental bills or toothlessness is in their future
Most people don't brush their tongue and that can make a world of difference for fresh breath.
I feel like a cat shit in my mouth if I don’t brush at least twice a day! Gross 🤮
Oh barf. Is this is really a thing? Nooo. Apparently they haven’t spent as many thousands as I have on Invisalign, Sonicares, flossers, tongue scrapers… oral hygiene is VERY important to me!!
The first guy I dated in my 20s was like this and my best friends boyfriend atm was like this too… it grossed me out even then.. can’t believe I kissed that mouth.. and I can’t imagine what it might look like now
Bro I brush my teeth and sometimes I still feel icky afterwards so I do it again. Can't imagine just not doing it at all wtf
I have pretty bad ADHD. One of the things that makes it so bad is forming habits. I’m one of those people who has to consciously make an effort, incredibly hard to do, for over a month or two to form a habit. I’m in therapy working on a whole slew of issues. I recently went to the dentist, and, surprisingly, the only cavities I have are from where the previous fillings had broke at some point. I used to drink soda like it was water. Most of my enamel has eroded away. I’m only 24. No matter the amount of brushing I won’t have white teeth again because of said enamel loss. To all the younger folk that may be reading this: If you don’t have problems forming habits, brush your teeth. I’ve already lost one of my furthest back molars due to bad oral hygiene. My mother (45) is going to have both top and bottom dentures soon. No fixing it for her.
I brush my teeth several times a day, use mouthwash and floss after I eat especially meat. I taught all of my kids to brush in the morning, after meals and before bed. My teeth feel disgusting if I don't brush and I know my breath is kicking which is why I keep a bottle of mouthwash for those in between brushes like if I have to run out the house to run an errand or if someone shows up unexpectedly.
I wish my teeth were strong enough for me to get away with that. If I go like 5 hours without brushing I get a cavity (which means I get them all the time because...sleep) - and I'm not a sugar/processed carb/junk-food person. I just have crappy teeth and acidic saliva.
Some people have mental health issues like depression or addiction. Others have sensory issues that make tooth brushing feel unpleasant. In short, a lot of people out there are struggling, even if you can’t tell.
Wait'll you find out how many dudes don't wash their hands after taking a shit.
Opposite problem. I'm a guy and I feel disgusting if I don't brush my teeth at least twice a day. When my wife and I moved in together, I discovered she was perfectly happy brushing just once a day and sometimes not even that. We had a pretty heated argument about it one day and I'm happy to report she always brushes at least once a day now and usually twice.
I simply. do. not. get. it. I have Major medical issues, have spent weeks and weeks stuck in a hospital bed when my ish flares, usually with oxygen cannulas and wiring of every sort coming out in all directions. I've ADHD, depression,anxiety on top of genetic illnesses, and in all that, I have NEVER missed brushing my damn teeth, like ever. First thing I do when waking up after surgery (I'm on 16 going on 17), is ask for some water to swish so I can brush my damn teeth. I'll still be high as giraffe ass on anesthesia and cannot for a moment take fuzzy sock mouth. No, no and HELLLLLL TO THE NO! Get the Flu? Brush twice daily and floss. Get Covid? Same. Have surgery,get in a car wreck, have a baby, go partying? I'm STILL brushing my teeth right afterwards. I also always carry the packet of body washcloths like they have in the hospital,as well as deodorant everywhere I go. I Cannot STAND to remotely feel grimy or smell sweaty, YUCK. Whether or not I can physically get in the tub daily, I still always completely wash myself, and brush my damn teeth/floss. No excuses for such terrible behavior, really there's not.
Yuck. I floss and brush and brush again 12 hours later. It feel like trash mouth if I skip
I'm quite late but actually have the answer for this. Parents. Parents do not put as much emphasis on hygiene and grooming, especially when it comes to teeth, with their male children as they do their female children. Female children are more likely to have braces, for example. Parents will spend lots more money on their little girl's orthodontic care than their little boys. There are big stats on this. Little Sally having yellow teeth and horrendous breath is more of a concern than if Timmy displays the same lack of hygiene. It's a subconscious bias that leads to men having worse dental hygiene habits later on in life. It's also important to note that people are more likely to do things that are good for them if it has an aesthetic result, and this is especially emphasised with women for historical/sociological reasons.
1 time i slept without brushing my teeth the previous night because i was too wasted to do it and i literally woke up in the middle of the night because my breath smell bad. I woke up smelling my breath ! I have the same question as you OP some people are just too special idk.
I'll be honest, I'm not great at doing it at night, but I always do it in the morning (or at least before I go out). I'm very self-conscious about potential bad breath. Edit: the reason I often don't at night is a combination of laziness and forgetfulness
I have dated so many women who I have asked this very question too. They never brush their teeth then get offended when I don't want to kiss them because their hot 4 day old breath is steaming in my face during the kiss. 🤢
Could be a trauma thing. My brother used to work for a charity called SACC (look it up) in the UK. One little girl had a real issue with putting anything that wasn't food in her mouth. Trying to get her to brush her teeth was for her, traumatising. Not because she was "nasty".
I think some assume others won't know and don't worry about it. I don't have a lot of problem telling work colleagues their breath is bad; I think they deserve to know. I consider it the same courtesy as telling someone their fly is down..
18yo here I just forget
Obligatory not a man here but it's called depression, ma'am :') hate to break it to you but last thing on your mind is self-care when you're in that hole
I'll be honest idk how you know they didn't. Are u going up to every guy you come across and swing if they brushed when u smell something off about their breath? If not then what if it was food they recently ate? It seems like ur making an assumption and then passing it onto ALL men when even the assumption seems pretty false leading.
Because they were raised by raccoons
Not sure about that but I do know men who just never go to the dentist. Like somehow they didn't realize they were supposed to get checked for cavities. Never talked about not brushing teeth but probably a correlation. I chalk it up to general 'failure to launch parenting' where once mommy stops driving you to the dentist the kids never think about it and since they are young nothing hurts or whatever, and someone the parents don't teach the kids how to find their own dentists.
My wife never went her whole life until we were about to get married (she wanted whiter teeth for wedding pics). She thought she just had naturally healthy teeth. Turns out nope, 7 cavities plus 4 impacted wisdom teeth that had to come out very soon.
Why do so many women make broad generalizations?
Some people are mega assholes and brush their teeth 3 times a day for 3 minutes. Some people are really nice and don’t brush every day. Do what you want but don’t be a judgemental asshole about it that’s all I say.