The link between general health and oral health is not always known by everyone. However, it is important to know that poor oral health has a significant impact on your general health in case of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or lung diseases. Poor oral health will also impact your daily life: you will have difficulty communicating with others, a drop in your self-esteem or even isolate yourself from the world around you.
Here is a guide to help you learn how to have good oral health.
What is good oral health?
Good oral health is characterized by healthy teeth with good gum and bone support. It includes good dental health and good periodontal health.
Good dental health
Hygiene and diet play a particularly important role in the development of oral diseases. Indeed, a bad brushing of the teeth or the consumption of sweetened food will support the formation of bacterial plate which will be deposited on the teeth and the gums. It causes dental caries and gum disease. These bacteria can lead to toothache or dental infection.
Good periodontal health
The periodontium is the gum around the teeth, the bone in which the teeth are implanted. Periodontal disease is an infectious disease that will inflame the gums and destroy the bone surrounding the teeth. Again, the bacteria of the dental plaque will create periodontal pockets around the teeth. However several factors influence the evolution of the periodontal disease: tobacco, stress, diabetes, hormonal disturbances.
The benefits of good oral health
When you don't have any major ailments in your oral system, you are free to enjoy more fulfilling social relationships. Good self-esteem contributes to this and allows you to easily reach out to others, and not to withdraw into yourself to avoid upsetting others. It is therefore essential to start teaching children good oral hygiene habits as early as possible. This will prevent cavities and more serious diseases, but will also help them in their socialization.
Techniques for good oral hygiene
Here are the techniques to have a good oral hygiene:
- Good tooth brushing: Brushing teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste with an age-appropriate fluoride dosage.
- Choosing the right toothbrush: Brushing should be done with a soft brush with feathered bristles or with an electric brush (ask your dentist for advice). This brush must be changed regularly.
- Vertical brushing: Horizontal brushing should be avoided as it causes wear to the necks of the teeth, but rather a roll brushing should be used (see with the dental surgeon).
- The use of dental floss or dental brushes: they allow to clean the spaces between the teeth which are areas where caries and periodontal disease develop easily (see with the dental surgeon for the choice and the use). A toothpick, on the other hand, damages your teeth and causes oral disease.
You can use the Y-Brush toothbrush. It is a sonic toothbrush adapted to all in other words as well the dependent people (handicapped or old people) as the small and large ones which seek comfort and speed in the daily brushing of the teeth.
Regular visits to a dental surgeon
A check-up at a dentist's office is particularly important to maintain good oral health. This routine examination must be done regularly to prevent pathologies of the teeth and gums. The generally accepted interval between two visits to the dentist is 12 months. This frequency may vary, depending on several factors, including: age, oral history, risk factors (diet, tobacco). In all cases, the dentist will indicate a follow-up schedule adapted to the individual situation. The frequency of scaling depends on each patient: it can be done every 4, 6 or 12 months. For example, periodontal disease may require frequent scaling (every 6 months).
We hope this guide has helped you understand what good oral health is. We also hope that you have understood the benefits of good oral health. It is important to practice all of these techniques to maintain good oral hygiene. Regular visits to a dental surgeon will help you maintain good oral hygiene in all circumstances but in case of covid.
