Dental hygiene
Brief Overview
Dental hygiene is one of the most important aspects of a person’s overall hygiene. Thus, to avoid any long-term costs, you should take care of your dental hygiene. Brush your teeth twice every day and floss regularly.
Dental hygiene and oral health is an essential part of our overall health and well-being. It refers to the practice of keeping the mouth, teeth, and gums clean and healthy to prevent any disease. Poor dental hygiene can often lead to dental cavities and gum diseases. It has also been linked to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It is often taken for granted despite being a vital part of our everyday lives.
Maintaining healthy teeth and gums is a lifelong commitment. The earlier you learn proper dental hygiene habits, the better for you. And the more you’ll save cost by avoiding expensive dental procedures.
Causes
The cause of bad dental hygiene is usually the patient’s failure to maintain good dental hygiene habits. These include irregular brushing and flossing, inability to remove plague, leading to tartar formation. However, it is not just periodic brushing. Some foods - sugars and acidic foods - and some habits (smoking) can also result in poor dental hygiene.
Our oral cavity collects all sorts of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Some belong there, making up the normal flora of our mouths, and are harmless in small quantities. But some can cause problems. For example, a diet with high sugar creates conditions in which acid-producing bacteria flourishes. The acid dissolves tooth enamel and causes dental cavities.
There are multiple causes for dental problems, including:
- Frequent snacking
- Diabetes
- The use of medication to reduce the saliva in the mouth
- Family history
- HIV, AIDS
- Hormonal changes
- Acid Reflux
- Frequent vomiting
Symptoms
It would be best if you never waited to experience symptoms in order to pay a visit to the dentist. If you go to the dentist twice a year, chances are they will catch any problem in its developmental stage, before the onset of symptoms.
However, if you experience any symptoms mentioned below, make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible.
- Ulcers, sores in the mouth that won’t heal for an extended period
- Bleeding or swollen gums after brushing or flossing
- Chronic bad breath
- Sudden sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures of food or beverages
- Toothache
- Loose teeth
- Receding gums
- Pain while chewing
- Swelling of the face or cheek
- The clicking of the jaw
- Frequent dry mouth
Lifestyle changes one should make
Below are a few lifestyle changes one should make to avoid the onset of dental problems.
- Cut back on Tobacco and alcohol
- Cut back on sugar or change your diet around
- Limit Sodas and Coffee
- Consume vitamins and calcium
- Balance your hormones
- Visit your dentist
What makes it worse
- Grinding your tooth – if you grind your tooth during the day or night, it wears them down
- Using a hard bristled brush – with age gums push back exposing gums to more sensitivity thus use a lighter brush
- Crunching, slurping, sucking – the brittleness or the cold temperature of ice cubes cause teeth to fracture