Often, people fail to comprehend why oral hygiene is important. They aren’t aware that dental care can have an impact on overall general health. If you experience problems with your gums and teeth, your overall health will also get affected. The connection between the two is often misunderstood.
Surprisingly, you will easily be able to chew, gulp, taste, talk, and smile if your dental condition is healthy. It asks for daily care.
What do you understand by good oral hygiene?
If you can protect your teeth from decay and your mouth from all kinds of infection, then you have mastered the essence behind why it is important to take care of your oral hygiene. Your contribution would be daily brushing your teeth properly at least thrice a day and also flossing at times.
What are the effects of neglecting good dental care?
The importance of oral hygiene is underrated. Negligence in this matter can be fatal. How? Read on to find out about the oral diseases and oral conditions yourself.
A list of various oral conditions that you can suffer from –
- You can suffer from a condition called Bruxism. This will cause the grinding of teeth. It will happen more excessively when you will be asleep.
- You can suffer from another oral condition called Gingival Hyperplasia. This causes protrusion or swelling of the gum tissue present around your teeth.
- You can suffer from an embarrassing oral condition called Halitosis. It is commonly known as bad breath.
- You can experience an oral condition called xerostomia. It is popularly known as chronic dry mouth. This causes hindrance in the production of saliva.
- You can have an abscess in a tooth which will cause immense toothache. Also, you might have sensitive teeth.
- Lastly, you can suffer from a painful oral condition called Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction. This can be a tough period of prolonged suffering as your jaw will hurt a lot.
A list of various oral diseases that you can suffer from –
Hopefully, considering the time we are living in, you are aware of the uses and types of PPE for coronavirus protection. Having said that, you might not be aware of the various types of oral diseases that you can face by not giving importance to oral hygiene.
- A type of risky oral disease is called Periodontal Disease. It is a gum problem that can lead to the perpetual loss of bones.
- An example of a dangerous oral disease is called Oral Cancer. It can become a matter of fear and worry if you don’t take the right action at the right time.
- A common and easily curable oral disease is called Canker Sores. These are ulcers in your mouth. It isn’t risky but it is painful. One good thing about this disease is that it resolves within few days by proper medication.
- Other common diseases are cavities, infection in the mouth caused by yeasts, and abscesses in your tooth.
Now that we told you about the dangers that lie ahead on the negligence of oral care, we hope you can now answer this question –
“Why is it important to maintain oral hygiene?”
What are the ways to maintain good oral hygiene?
1. Brush at night before you go to sleep –
It is no secret that germs accumulate at night. So, why not resolve this problem by brushing at night every single day? If you can’t brush after every meal, at least do it before going to bed as you must have realized the importance of proper dental care.
2. Find the correct way to brush your teeth –
Often, we brush in a hurry. We are either late for a meeting or too lazy to clean all the areas of the gum. You should move the brush in a circular pattern. We can assure you that this will help you get rid of the plaque gradually.
3. Your diet has to be according to the best interests of your teeth-
We advise you to include these food items in your staple diet. The items are vitamin C, calcium, apples, pear, and carrots. Since they are crunchy, your jaws will stay active. This activity of jaws will help in the secretion of saliva that can fight against the bacteria.
4. Include a mouthwash in your oral hygiene first-aid kit –
Your oral hygiene kit is incomplete without a good-quality mouthwash. It is a great alternative for those who can’t floss like elderly people and young children. You can also get rid of acid in your mouth by using a mouthwash.
5. Know what kind of toothpaste suits you –
Are you confused regarding the right toothpaste for good oral hygiene? Take our word and choose a kind of toothpaste that has fluoride in it. This will help you say goodbye to tooth decay slowly.
6. Keep your tongue clean –
It would be futile to expect you to clean your tongue if you don’t even brush your teeth properly. However, make a conscious effort to clean it during brushing your teeth because an unclean tongue can cause bad breath and some oral conditions.
Picture Courtesy – Nursing Exercise
What is the link between your oral hygiene and your general health?
It is perceived that the bacteria residing in your mouth won’t cause any major harm. However, we often ignore the fact that your mouth is the source point of the respiratory tract and digestive tract. So, any bacteria in the mouth can cause damage to these tracts.
Your saliva is the warrior that will protect you from all microbes present in your mouth. So, secretion of saliva is essential. Certain medicines hinder the flow of saliva. What are those medications?
- Any antidepressant
- Any decongestant
- Any painkiller
- Any antihistamine
What are the diseases that negatively affect your oral hygiene?
Now that you have figured out why it is important to take care of your oral hygiene, let us find out if any illnesses impact your oral health adversely.
The diseases are –
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Diabetes
- AIDS
- Osteoporosis
Why is it important to complete oral hygiene during the coronavirus?
Oral hygiene maintenance plays an integral role during the pandemic. It is as much a part of the home safety measures for covid-19 as is personal hygiene. You do know that covid-19 is a type of chronic respiratory ailment, right? You also know that your mouth is the entry pathway to the respiratory tract, right?
So, it goes without saying that oral health is a primary concern during coronavirus.
One important tip –
Keep this tip in mind while performing oral hygiene actions in these difficult times –
- You are requested to keep your toothbrush clean and disinfected under all circumstances. We also ask you to replace your toothbrush quarterly.
Final words on how good oral hygiene means good overall health –
Follow our guidelines to stop your oral health from deteriorating. In case these seem frightening, in case you are doubtful about the tips, consider visiting a dentist with whom you can cross-check the guidelines.
