Good oral health goes beyond the aesthetic function of keeping your teeth white for a beautiful smile. In fact, oral health is essential to your overall health. If you neglect brushing your teeth or maintaining your teeth in general, you risk seeing the many repercussions of poor oral hygiene.
Here is a guide to understanding the importance of good oral health.
The benefits of good oral health
Beautiful teeth for a better quality of life
Good dental health is the condition for a good quality of life. Indeed, a healthy mouth allows you not to lose the taste when you eat and thus to appreciate all the food you eat. It also allows a good chewing, a good swallowing and by extension facilitates digestion. Good oral health also plays an important role in our social relations: teeth that are not white or bad breath can make our relationship with others much more complicated.
Good dental health to preserve your independence
Moreover, a healthy mouth helps to fight against the loss of autonomy linked to the loss of teeth. Indeed, poor oral health can lead to an increase in dependence of the elderly. It has a direct impact on eating. Indeed, chewing and swallowing are much more difficult when your teeth are in poor condition. The loss of pleasure will lead to a loss of appetite and undernutrition. In addition, poor oral health can lead to a loss of self-esteem and therefore to de-socialization. With good dental hygiene and regular visits to the dentist, the deterioration of oral health can be avoided.
The different techniques to have a good oral health
The good brushing of the teeth
Brushing your teeth should be done with a soft toothbrush that avoids irritating your gums. It is important to brush your teeth two to three times a day, using dental floss and interdental brushes after brushing. They are essential because the electric toothbrush does not reach the entire surface of the teeth. They allow you to clean the remaining surfaces that represent the space between the teeth and the space near the tooth and the gum. Tooth brushing should be done about 20 to 30 minutes after the meal.
The principle is simple: you must make small rotational movements by holding the brush at a 45 degree angle with the teeth from top to bottom. This brushing should last 2 to 3 minutes and cover all the surfaces of your teeth: the chewing surface, the lingual surface and the buccal surface. Finally, you should brush the inside of your cheeks and the top of your tongue, which is a breeding ground for bacteria. This routine will allow you to remove the plaque that accumulates on the teeth and gums and leads, if not removed, to the formation of tartar on the teeth, which increases the risk of developing more severe oral problems.
You can use the Y-Brush toothbrush. It is a toothbrush that removes 15% more plaque than a traditional toothbrush to help you maintain good oral health and avoid oral disease.
A particularly healthy and balanced diet
1) Plain water
Drinking water after each meal or snack reduces the risk of acid attacks on the tooth enamel. In fact, it reduces the number of bacteria in your mouth because you will produce more saliva which will neutralize the acids. A little fluoridated water prevents cavities better.
2) Tea
Green and black tea are natural ingredients that are not harmful to oral health. Indeed, tea leaves release catechins that prevent the formation of dental plaque. They contain fluoride which helps the enamel to fight against acid attacks. It also has an antibacterial action which makes it a good remedy against gingivitis and halitosis.
3) Fish and shellfish
Fish and shellfish provide fatty acids (omega-3) that help maintain healthy gums. In addition, their flesh is rich in fluoride, which helps to strengthen the enamel. For example, salmon contains about 1.9 mg/100 g. Fluoride and iodized salt are also good for your teeth.
4) Cheese
Cheese plays an important role in protecting your teeth. With its calcium, phosphorus and casein content, it inhibits bacteria in the mouth and promotes remineralization of the enamel. Eat cheeses with a high calcium content, such as Emmental, preferably at the end of the meal.
5) Fruits and vegetables
It's no secret that vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, which are excellent for general health. Do not hesitate to chew regularly in a carrot or a raw apple to clean your teeth. Their crunchy texture clears the mouth of food residue and boosts saliva production.
6) Whole grain rice, bread or pasta
Whole foods do not contain simple sugars that cause cavities. In fact, they are composed of complex sugars that contribute to the feeling of satiety. You are therefore less tempted to snack and reduce acid attacks in your mouth. Choose bread, rice, pasta and whole grain cereals.
7) Dark chocolate
Good news for chocolate lovers, cocoa is known for its benefits on your teeth. The only condition is to choose a dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. Three elements are part of its composition: phosphates, polyphenols and fatty acids. Together, they offer optimal protection against acids, bacteria and dental erosion.
Risks associated with poor oral hygiene
Diabetes
Diabetes is directly linked to dental and gum infections. Bacteria on the surface of your teeth feed on the sugar present on your teeth, which encourages their multiplication. People with diabetes are therefore more likely to have gingivitis or periodontitis, especially if they do not control their blood sugar levels well.
Cardiovascular disease and stroke
Patients with poor oral hygiene are more likely to contract cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. In fact, gum and periodontal infections cause chronic inflammatory reactions. These reactions would have an impact on certain important risk factors for heart disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis
There is a link between periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disease that can affect the joints. Indeed, the patients most prone to develop this disease are affected by gum disease. Periodontal bacteria are involved in the initiation and maintenance of rheumatoid arthritis and precipitate its progression.
Premature delivery
The hormonal changes experienced by pregnant women can increase the risk of developing gum disease. Indeed, during this period the gums are more sensitive to oral bacteria: pregnancy gingivitis. If this is the case, the bacteria that eventually enter the bloodstream can reach the pancreas.
We hope this guide has helped you understand that good oral hygiene is the key to beautiful teeth. There are many techniques for good oral health. However, it is also the only way to avoid oral diseases.
