Children and adults alike are prone to suffer from certain types of oral and dental diseases. These can include gum disease, cavities, ulcers, dry mouth, loose teeth, and many more. According to data provided by the World Health Organization, nearly all adults suffer from dental cavities, while 90% of schoolchildren suffer from the same dental problem.
Oral and dental problems can impact the overall well-being of individuals. If oral health is not given proper attention, it can lead to severe health problems, such as oral cancer, HIV infections, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and many more.
As there is a proven correlation between oral health and a person’s overall well-being, taking care of oral and dental health is crucial for every individual, regardless of age. Below are some common but helpful ways to take care of your overall oral condition.
Keep Teeth and Gums Clean
Experts have always recommended tooth brushing at least twice a day, and this advice should not be taken lightly. Properly brushing the teeth helps eliminate the germs that may have accumulated in the mouth the entire day. It helps prevent tooth cavities and tooth loss.
Flossing is also effective. It helps clean areas in the teeth that cannot be cleaned by brushing alone. It also helps prevent periodontal disease, which is caused by plaque and bacteria buildup.
Gargling with mouthwash is also an efficient addition to your oral hygiene practices. Mouthwash can kill bacteria that can cause infections to the gums and dental sockets. It can also remove plaque, demineralize the teeth, and strengthen the enamel. Mouthwashes, however, should not be used as an alternative to tooth brushing. Rather, it should be used in conjunction with tooth brushing and flossing.
Eat a Healthy Diet
The types of food you eat can affect the overall condition of your teeth and gums. Sugary fruits, sweetened drinks, acidic sodas, candies, chocolates, and non-nutritious refreshments, for instance, can cause tooth decay and severe gum disease. The sugar content and acids in such diets may cause dental erosion and dental caries. Dental caries is painful and may lead to teeth loss.
A poor diet may also lead to periodontal disease, a condition where the teeth can loosen and fall off. Symptoms of this oral disease include painful chewing, bleeding gums, gums pulling away from teeth, sensitive teeth, swollen gums, and bad taste and bad breath that do not go away even with mouthwash.
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can help avoid these problems.
Have a Regular Dental Check-up
Twice a year is recommended by experts. Dentists and other dental professionals can advise you on properly taking good care of your oral health. They can look for and fill cavities in your teeth, remove a damaged tooth, diagnose problems, and give medications if required. They can also perform a thorough inspection of your oral health to spot other potential problems that you may not have thought exists. Additionally, they can offer solutions to whatever problems you have with your teeth and gums.
Other problems that dentists can help with are crooked teeth, crowding, and diastema. Diastema is a condition where there are gaps between the teeth. This can be caused by a variety of reasons, one of which is gum disease.
Dentists can treat diastema, crooked teeth, and crowding with dental braces or tools that help align the teeth. Most people get braces when they are teenagers, but adults may be fitted with these devices, too. When worn for a certain period, a brace can straighten the teeth and correct any alignment problem it may have.
Orthodontic braces are not only perfect for Invisalign treatment. They are also used by many to improve their smile and overall appeal. When installed by a licensed dental professional, these instruments can largely provide fantastic long-term effects not only for oral health but also for a person’s self-esteem.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking predisposes a person to periodontal disease. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of severe gum problems in the US. Smoking can weaken the body’s immune system, making it hard for smokers to fight against gum infections.
Regardless of age, oral health should be given priority. While it may not always be obvious, there can be several problems that are slowly affecting your health due to poor oral hygiene. While brushing the teeth, flossing, and using mouthwash can help significantly, it is still recommended to seek the expertise of oral experts to ensure your overall oral well-being. This way, you can correctly take care of it.
