Some indicators that more care and attention should be taken to maintain proper oral hygiene include: - Having chronic bad breath - Experiencing sensitivity whenever consuming foods or drinks that are hot or cold - Chronic dry mouth - Discoloration of the teeth (specifically yellowing of the teeth) - Chronic sinus infections - Problems with digestion, bacteria collecting in the mouth and then making their way down through the digestive tract have been linked to inflammatory bowel disease Any significant changes in the teeth or gums can be indicative of something wrong that requires professional dental attention for treatment. The earlier dental problems are caught, the greater chance there is of properly treating the problem. Leaving dental problems untreated leads to an increased chance of having to extract natural teeth and replace them with implants or dentures, which quickly becomes far more expensive than treating a cavity or receiving a deep cleaning on a result basis. Just following proper oral hygiene and visiting the dentist will help to drastically minimize the chances of suffering from bad oral hygiene.