What happens if you don't brush your teeth for 20 years? This man can tell you

Put down your fizzy drinks, people, and brush your teeth every day - you won't want to end up like this guy named Jay, whose teeth stops him from chasing his dreams.

Jay, 21, is a binman in UK who "spent more time keeping the streets clean than his teeth".

For the past two decades of his life, Jay had neglected his oral hygiene as there wasn't any encouragement from his parents to brush or floss his teeth, he explained in an episode of Embarassing Bodies, a documentary on British network Channel 4.

"Over the years, I've eaten the wrong foods, I've drank lots of fizzy drinks and I haven't really taken care of them," he confessed. "I haven't really brushed them or flossed or anything like that."

Photo: Video screengrab

And we all know how procrastination could lead to an infinite regress - the worse his teeth became, the more frightened he was to visit the dentist.

As a result, Jay's dental health had deteriorated so much that his multiple decayed teeth impacted his confidence in his appearance. With a low self-esteem, Jay lost the courage to pursue his dreams of landing a job in sports or physiotherapy as well.

But a determined man will become a changed man.

With several trips made to a dental clinic, Jay was dead set on turning his life around. After 11 extractions, several dental implants and crown fittings with bridges, he was finally able to smile confidently, and even shaved his beard which he had depended on to hide his teeth.

Photo: Video screengrab

Now, Jay sticks to a routine of brushing twice a day and flossing every day. 

With his confidence restored, Jay claims that he's a much happier person now and would "definitely be going forward to fulfil his dreams".

Well, I'm not saying that you can't have fizzy drinks, but just be sure to remember how your teeth could bite back at you if you don't care for them.

ongymm@sph.com.sg

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