Dental Hygiene
To many people, when they think of dental hygiene and oral health, the first thing that comes to mind is their appearance. As a child, we’re taught to brush and floss our teeth, and we’re encouraged to do this so that we’ll have nice shiny white smiles. And while having a beautiful smile can contribute to a healthy sense of self-esteem, there’s so much more to dental hygiene and oral health.
The fact is, practicing good dental hygiene is about more than just brushing and flossing. Good dental hygiene is an important part of your overall health. Failing to take good care of your teeth and gums can contribute to many serious health conditions including the following:
• Heart disease
• Respiratory disease
• Diabetes
• Infections
• Sleep disorders
• Poor nutrition
Poor dental hygiene can alos lead to the following dental procedures:
• Root Canals
• Dental Crowns
• Dental Implants
• Dental Bridges
What is the link between your dental hygiene and your overall health? It’s simple really – failing to take care of your teeth and gums can cause bacteria to spread throughout the rest of your body.
After you eat or drink, a substance called plaque forms on your teeth. If plaque is not removed, it can cause tartar on both the visible surfaces of your teeth, and the parts of your teeth below the gum line that you can’t see. Left untreated or unremoved, this tarter can lead to gum infections and tooth decay. From there, the infection and bacterial can spread to other part of your body.
What You Can Do
Let’s take a look the steps of a good dental hygiene regimen, and why they’re important. We’ll start with the things you should be doing at home.
Home Care
1. Flossing
Flossing and brushing are equal partners in the fight against tooth and gum disease. Take a good look at your teeth in the mirror. All those little crevices and spaces in between your teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach are still susceptible to plaque and tartar buildup. Regular flossing is the best way to get into those little nooks and crannies to remove bits of food before they become plaque and tartar.
Flossing should be performed three times each day, following regular meals. Ensure that the dental floss comes in contact with all of the surfaces between your teeth, and don’t worry if you need to use more than one piece of floss to get the job done.
2. Brushing
Brushing your teeth properly with a fluoridated tooth paste will help prevent plaque form forming on your teeth. Just like flossing, you should brush your teeth three times each day, following regular meals. Be sure to spend a good amount of time brushing the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of each tooth. Additionally, you should give your gums a light brushing to ensure any plaque buildup along and under the gum line is removed.A proper thorough brushing should take not less than two full minutes.
3. Scrape Your Tongue
The tongue is often forgotten when it comes to dental hygiene, but it’s important to include that part of your mouth in the regimen. You can clean your tongue one of two ways:
1. Purchase a tongue cleaner. Use the tongue cleaner to gently scrape back and forth across the tongue. This will remove the bacteria that has built up on your tongue.
2. Use a gentle toothbrush to brush your tongue. Don’t brush or scrape too hard – just brush firmly enough that the film or coating you see on your tongue is removed..
4. Rinsing
Following brushing, flossing, and tongue cleaning, rinsing your mouth with a bacteria-fighting mouth wash will amp up your efforts at preventing gum disease. Using a mouth wash that contains fluoride, swish the rinse through your mouth for at least one full minute. Once complete, spit the mouth wash into the sink.
5. Gargling
Gargling is the final step that should be performed in your dental hygiene regimen. Using another mouthful of mouth wash, gargle the rinse for 90 seconds. Tilt your head back as far as you can so the rinse can reach the farthest back in your throat as possible without causing you to choke or gag. Once complete, spit the rinse into the sink. Don’t each or drink for at least twenty minutes following the above steps.
Dental Hygienist
As well as practicing the dental hygiene regimen noted above, see your Dental Hygienist twice a year for a full dental cleaning. During this cleaning, the Hygienist will use special tools to remove stains and tartar buildup, thoroughly clean your teeth, gums, and just below the gum line, and finally give your teeth a polishing so they’re nice and shiny.
During your dental cleaning, the Hygienist may be able to recognize signs of tooth decay that must then be treated by the dentist. Early detection will help minimize the effects of tooth decay to aid in having a healthier dental future.
Minimizing the Risk
Along with practicing the steps as listed above, there are additional things you can do to minimize the risk of having dental issues lead to other health conditions. All of these suggestions will work together with your dental hygiene regimen in a preventive way:
• If you smoke, quit
• Drink in moderation
• Eat a healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables
• Avoid eating too much candy or other super sugary foods
• Check your mouth regularly for the signs and symptoms of tooth day, gum issues etc.
• Be aware of the signs and symptoms of oral cancers
• If you notice any signs of tooth decay or gum disease such as pain, dark spots on teeth, bleeding gums etc. have your Dentist assess and treat the issues as soon as possible
Summary
It’s important to make good dental hygiene a part of your overall health routine. Doing so will not only give you a bright attractive smile, it will help to prevent other diseases and conditions that could be a direct result of poor dental hygiene.
It’s easy to incorporate a good dental hygiene regimen into your day, and the rewards will be plenty!
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