What is oral hygiene?

Think of it like how you would take a bath, use soap and deodorant to stay clean, but for your teeth! It’s the practice of keeping your whole mouth disease-free and clean. You can do this by brushing your teeth, flossing, mouthwash, etc. 

This page uncovers if oral hygiene is essential and if it can affect people. Did you know that not many people practice good oral hygiene? Last year, more than 90% of United States citizens had cavities in their permanent teeth. Worldwide, oral diseases affect 3.5 billion people. Many oral diseases are associated with other chronic diseases. 

As a result, it makes oral hygiene incredibly important to manage, maintain, and improve. Let’s look at each importance of oral hygiene and how you can improve your habits! 

Importance of Oral Hygiene

As we all know, hygiene is one of the best and most effective ways to protect yourself from diseases. For example, washing your hands can lessen the chances of developing colds, flu, or COVID-19 virus. It’s because the soap used can remove germs that make you ill. 

Think of that analogy with oral hygiene; when you brush your teeth and scrap off any gunk from dinner in your teeth, you can prevent oral diseases from occurring. Oral hygiene can also prevent halitosis, which can happen when you don’t clean your teeth properly. 

A Dentist Can Construct an Oral Treatment Plan

Good oral hygiene entails that you visit your dentist twice a year. It’s so that they can assess your oral hygiene and determine how you can improve your oral health. Remember that each patient is unique; their dental conditions and mouth structures vary. A dental evaluation aids in creating a dental plan that’s unique to your needs. 

It’s also helpful to visit a dentist near your home. For example, there were 202,536 active dentists in the United States just last year. In Australia, there are 17,000 members of the Australian Dental Association. Whether you’re in the US or the Land Down Under, be sure to book an appointment that’s just minutes or a few hours away from your home since many dislike the experience of driving home after their experience at the dentist. 

Do you plan on visiting a dentist for improved oral hygiene? Or do you want to improve your teeth misalignment? Whatever your reason, consider visiting a dentist’s office with a proven expert in your concerns. For example, a Cosmetic Dentistry Services – Dental + Skin Clinic can help with dental veneers, whitening and cleaning teeth, and many more. 

Oral Health Affects Overall Health

Think of your mouth as the door to the internal parts of your body. It’s where you eat food that could potentially make you sick. It’s also a vantage point where you can detect early symptoms of systemic diseases, e.g., diabetes (mouth lesion or gum infection). However, you shouldn’t make a diagnosis independently since a professional healthcare provider can tell you accurately if you have diseases. 

Furthermore, those with periodontal (gum) disease are more at risk of heart disease since the disease can increase the body’s burden of inflammation, thus, spreading the inflammation to other parts of the body, including your artery.

Additionally, poor oral health increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions. The body’s resistance to infections is also lowered due to poor oral health. There is a synergic relationship between your oral health and overall health, so it makes it essential that you take proper steps to get up and brush your teeth as recommended by your dentist. 

It Prevents Tooth Loss

Plaque buildup can occur when you don’t properly brush your teeth after meals. These sticky substances develop from leftover food particles in the teeth and saliva. Plaque buildup can also occur when the bacteria in your mouth are mixed with sugary or starchy foods. These include soft drinks, juice, pasta, fruit, milk, and bread. It’s a problem since these contain bacteria contributing to gum disease and tooth decay. 

You can reduce the chances of plaque buildup when you regularly brush your teeth and floss after meals. However, it’s also essential that you meet with your dentist at least twice a year. It’s so that they can check if any teeth are loose, clean your teeth, and maintain your oral health. 

You Can Have a Brighter and Whiter Smile

Many agree that a whiter and brighter smile is vital to boosting confidence. It’s a great source of confidence in your smile. Sure, stained teeth aren’t harmful, and it doesn’t necessarily affect your oral health. However, it can make one self-conscious. 

Don’t fret since you can quickly remove these stains through regular cleaning. Do you have stubborn stains that are hard to remove? You may need to visit your dentist for expert care for this concern. 

Through proper oral health, you may also have a minty fresh breath. Sadly, many patients suffer from bad breath, which occurs due to the buildup of plaque. Good oral hygiene can enable you to communicate with people confidently and maybe even kiss your loved ones!

Ways To Improve Your Oral Health

Now that you know the importance of proper oral hygiene, it’s time to look for ways to improve your oral health! 

Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year

Even if you don’t have concerns, getting regular cleaning and check-up from your dentist is essential. As mentioned above, your dentist can check for early signs of gum disease. Thus, they can make an oral prevention plan unique to you. A dentist can also help patients with their oral concerns. Furthermore, visiting twice a year is recommended because it’s the average time cavities in your mouth would develop. 

Limit Alcoholic Drinks

Did you know that alcohol has been linked to various oral health problems? Alcohol has been linked to tooth decay, erosion, and oral cancer. Avoid drinking too much since excessive consumption can increase the chances of accidental trauma or facial injury. 

Avoid or Quit Smoking

Did you know that smoking cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and other forms of tobacco can contribute to gum disease, oral cancer, and other oral conditions? Tobacco can weaken one’s infection fighter or immune system, which makes it harder to prevent gum infections. 

Furthermore, tobacco can be addictive and harmful to the body, especially your gums, since it makes them bleed more. By quitting smoking tobacco, you can improve your gums’ condition. 

Learn Good Oral Hygiene

You may think you’re already practising proper oral hygiene, but you may be mistaken. Some people still get shocked that they should brush their teeth at least twice a day and floss. Flossing is essential to remove and prevent dental plaque. 

You’ll know you’re practising good oral hygiene when you have pink gums, pleasant breath, non-sensitive teeth, your gum doesn’t bleed when you floss, and your teeth are smooth.

Final Thoughts

As mentioned above, oral hygiene is a preventative care you can do. By taking care of your oral health, you can prevent oral health problems, e.g., cavities, bad breath (halitosis), gum disease, and many more. Remember that your oral health can affect your overall health. Thus, your gums and teeth would be in pain, and other parts of your body could be too. 

You could be taking care of your external physical health, but the risk is just the same if your oral health is poor. So, be sure you understand its importance and follow how to improve your oral health, as mentioned above. Use this page to improve your oral health and, thus, your overall health!