What dental care means?
In a very specific way, dental care means cleaning teeth, the mouth, and the dentures. Oral care includes not just dental care but also instruction for feeding and swallowing as well as speech training.
Overview of the importance of dental care
Good oral and dental health correlates with overall good health. When you have dental problems, like cavities or gum disease, it can be hard to eat and talk because it hurts and gives you bad breath. And what many people may not realise is that poor dental health can significantly impact areas outside the mouth, such as the heart, diabetes, pregnancy, and chronic inflammation, such as arthritis.
According to several studies, the bacteria that cause gum disease can travel to the heart and cause heart disease, clogged arteries, and stroke. Infections of the gums, such as periodontitis, have been linked to preterm birth and low birth weight in pregnant women.
Diabetes lowers the body’s ability to fight off infections. This makes the gums more likely to get sick, which can affect blood sugar levels badly. People with HIV frequently experience painful mouth ulcers.
Good dental hygiene is essential to prevent oral diseases and dental issues. And prevention needs to be the primary objective.
Read more – Home remedies for mouth ulcer
Essential dental care tips
A) Brushing your teeth twice a day
It is essential to brush your teeth twice a day. There are numerous advantages to doing so. Here are some examples:
It Eliminates Bacteria
Our mouths are constantly teeming with bacteria and microorganisms that multiply and spread. Brushing your teeth twice a day will kill or get rid of these harmful bacteria. If you just brush your teeth once in the morning and then don’t brush again for the rest of the day, germs will start to eat away at the enamel on your teeth and make your gums and roots more susceptible to decay. allowing cavities to form. These undesirable bacteria also contribute to bad breath.
It Decreases Saliva
When awake, we produce more saliva than when asleep. Why is this essential? Because saliva helps create a barrier against plaque and bacteria, it prevents tooth decay. So, brushing our teeth at night or right before bedtime cuts down on the number of bacteria and saliva we make while we sleep. This reduces morning breath by reducing the acids that build up while sleeping.
It keeps your gums healthy
Brushing your teeth only once a day will not keep your mouth healthy. The truth is that the less you brush your teeth, the more harm you do to your gums. Plaque, bacteria, and tartar are all harmful to the health of your gums, causing infections and bleeding.
It benefits your overall health
Over the years, our medical knowledge has grown a lot, and now dentists and general practitioners know that many diseases are directly linked to bad oral health. Heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis can all be caused by poor oral health. Preterm labour and low birth weight have also been linked to it in pregnant women.
Hopefully, you now understand the importance of brushing your teeth twice a day. This, along with getting your teeth checked once a year, will keep your smile bright and your teeth healthy.
B) Flossing daily
The American Dental Association recommends using an interdental cleaner to clean your teeth daily, like floss. Cleaning between your teeth can aid in the prevention of cavities and gum disease.
Cleaning between your teeth aids in the removal of a sticky film known as plaque. Bacteria in plaque feed on leftover food or sugar in your mouth. When this happens, an acid is released that can eat away at the outer shell of your teeth, causing cavities.
If you don’t brush and clean between your teeth to get rid of plaque, they can harden into tartar, a rough substance. Tartar builds up along your gum line and can cause gum disease. Only your dentist can remove tartar once it has formed.
Although some people question the benefits of cleaning your teeth, using an interdental cleaner (such as floss) is an essential part of caring for your teeth and gums.
In a statement from August 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services added that flossing is “an important oral hygiene practice.”
If so, rinse their mouth with water to flush out any remaining sugar. It’s also a good idea to use fluoride-containing toothpaste and mouthwash. Fluoride can help fix the damage caused by these drinks because it helps prevent cavities and strengthens tooth enamel. Your dentist can also apply fluoride directly to your teeth.
C) Use of fluoride toothpaste
One of the best ways to keep your teeth from getting cavities is to brush them generously with fluoride toothpaste.
There are different kinds of toothpaste with varying amounts of fluoride. The amount of fluoride in the toothpaste is written on the side of the tube and is given in parts per million (ppm).
The best toothpaste has between 1,350 ppm and 1,500 ppm of fluoride. If you or your child are more likely to get cavities, your dentist may tell you to use stronger toothpaste.
Children under three should brush their teeth twice a day with a smear of toothpaste that has at least 1,000 ppm of fluoride.
- Kids between 3 and 6 should brush their teeth twice a day with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste containing more than 1,000 ppm fluoride.
- A toothpaste with 1,350-1,500ppm fluoride should be used at least twice daily by adults and children over the age of seven.
After brushing, adults and children should spit out the toothpaste rather than rinse with water.
Do not brush your teeth while using mouthwash. The fluoride in the toothpaste is washed away, so it should be used at a different time.
Read more – Natural home remedies for toothache
D) Using mouthwash
If you walk down the oral care section of the store at your local supermarket or drugstore, you may find your head spinning with the wide range of mouthwashes and other oral care products available. Each one has a slightly different label that says things like “fights cavities,” “fights germs,” “heals wounds,” “freshens breath,” and so on.
How can you pick the mouthwash that is best for you when so many options are available?
Speaking with your dentist is a good idea if you’re still debating whether or not to use mouthwash. No matter if you have gum disease, a dry mouth, or bad breath, they will suggest a mouthwash that fits your needs. Your best choice may occasionally be a prescription mouthwash with antimicrobial qualities.
The Indian Dental Association says that triclosan and chlorhexidine have been used a lot in mouthwashes lately. Triclosan stops the production of prostaglandin leukotrienes, which is a big part of how inflammation is controlled and slows the growth of plaque. Plaque and bacteria are combatted by chlorhexidine.
A study published in the Indian Journal of Dental Research says that chlorhexidine has become an important antibacterial agent for the mouth and an aid to periodontal therapy. It is a broad-spectrum antiseptic that kills some viruses, fungi, and both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
The Indian Dental Association highlights the use of mouthwash. It removes bacteria or food particles from places where a toothbrush and floss can’t reach. People usually use mouthwash to help freshen their breath as part of their daily oral hygiene routine. Some mouthwashes contain an antibacterial ingredient that keeps plaque from building up and gum disease from happening.
The Indian Dental Association says that if someone recommends a new toothpaste, you should look for the IDA seal of approval. This shows that the toothpaste meets the IDA’s standards.
There are some things to keep in mind when using mouthwash, whether you get one on a prescription from your dentist or an over-the-counter item labelled “antiseptic” or “antibacterial.” Be sure to keep brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day. Mouthwash is not meant to replace these ways of taking care of your mouth.
The American Dental Association’s (ADA) Mouth Healthy website says that whether you rinse before or after brushing may depend on how you feel. However, to get the most benefit from oral care products, manufacturers may recommend a specific order for their use, depending on the ingredients. Another thing to remember is to adhere to the directions provided by your dentist or found on the mouthwash bottle. No matter what kind of mouthwash you use, following the instructions on the bottle will give you the best results.
E) Visit the dentist regularly
Make an appointment with your dentist regularly rather than only when something is wrong. In addition to the fact that prevention is always better than treatment, there are several other reasons why it’s essential to keep going to the dentist regularly.
People frequently turn to the internet, a source of accurate and false information, when they have problems. On the other hand, a dentist has spent years training to be qualified in the field and can offer advice you can rely on. By going to the dentist often, you can build a strong relationship with them. This will make it easier for them to give you advice and help that fits your needs.
Your dentist should be your first call when you have concerns about your teeth and mouth because nobody is better equipped to help you maintain good oral health than they are.
Correlation between COVID-19 and oral hygiene
- During a COVID-19 infection, you should take better care of your teeth and gums to reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth and the chance of getting another disease from bacteria.
- We suggest that poor oral hygiene be seen as a risk for COVID-19 complications, especially in people who are more likely to have changed biofilms because of diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease.
- Patients with severe COVID-19 have bacteria in their mouths, and better oral hygiene may lower the risk of complications.
- A virus causes COVID-19, but it is thought that bacteria may play a role in severe cases.
- This would make complications like pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, septic shock, and death more likely.
Key Takeaways
- According to a study, if you use good oral hygiene practices and see your dentist regularly, you can almost entirely avoid cavities and most periodontal diseases and keep your mouth healthy.
- Most people use a toothbrush and floss, but interdental brushes and wooden sticks can be helpful for people who have problems with their gums. Chewing sugar-free gum to make your saliva flow more is an excellent way to prevent cavities.
- Even though there are new products and design changes, mechanical measures still require manual dexterity and the ability to think.
- Chemotherapy can be used to improve oral hygiene by adding to mechanical measures like toothpaste, mouth rinses, gels, and chewing gum.
- Oral hygiene promotion in the community should give everyone the best chance at good oral health and reduce inequality by removing financial and other barriers.
- Approaches to oral health should be based on how children, adults, and the elderly life and what they can do so that they can make decisions to improve their oral hygiene and oral health.
Conclusion
If you want to avoid the pains and costs associated with dental problems, it’s essential that you go to see a dentist every six months or so. The sooner they can identify any issues, the better chance they have of getting them fixed in time before they become too much for your mouth to handle. You can order branded and generic medicines by uploading your prescription on the Truemeds app. When you order medicines online, you can save money by choosing an alternative or generic medicine that the experts at Truemeds recommend. Save up to 72% on your purchase and get *free home delivery across India
Disclaimer: This information shouldn’t be used to diagnose or treat a medical condition, nor should it be used in a medical emergency. A qualified medical professional should be consulted to diagnose and treat all medical conditions.
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