Dental Health

Teeth are just not for aesthetic purposes, teeth should also be taken care of. Without taking care of your teeth properly, poor dental hygiene can result in more serious oral issues. Poor dental hygiene can affect other of your organs which include heart and tooth decay and gum diseases.

Dental Health is pretty much parallel to general health. Implications like cavities and gum diseases can greatly affect your ability to speak or chew your food, also create discomfort and an unlikable smell. As of now, many individuals are not aware that poor dental health can not only affect the mouth but other areas of the body as well.

According to some research studies, germs from gum diseases can go through your heart which causes heart disease, it blocks the arteries, and leads to stroke. A type of gum infection called periodontitis has a relation to preterm deliveries and low birth weight in pregnant women. Moreover, having diabetes lowers your resistance to diseases, making the gum more exposed to infections.

Oral hygiene is the very key to having good dental health. It’s the practice of brushing your teeth twice a day and visiting a doctor to have dental examinations regularly.

And these are the tips or do’s to keep your teeth happy:

Brushing the teeth twice a day is the most necessary routine you should have. It eradicates plaque and bacteria that are living in your mouth for free. But, you should also acquire the proper technique of brushing because the enamel of the tooth and the gums can be heavily damaged by doing it forcefully and that can cause lasting damage to teeth and gums which can be a dental discomfort. It should be done in tiny circular strokes, making sure to brush every part of your teeth which are the: front teeth, rear, and the upper part of each tooth. Don’t take too long or too fast, you should brush your teeth 2-3 minutes every day. Moreover, besides the technique, ADA or The American Dental Association recommends the use of a soft-bristled toothbrush and also replace it every three months or whenever it is out of shape and no longer usable.

The usage of Fluoride is also very important and believed to prevent cavities by many health professionals and is also known to be a popular ingredient in toothpaste and mouthwash. Fluoride came from the word fluorine in the periodic table of elements and is found in the earth’s soil.

Flossing is one of the necessaries in oral hygiene as it removes the plaque and germs between teeth that toothbrushes cannot reach. Flossing can also prevent bad breath by extracting dearth and food that are trapped between teeth. In addition, most dentists recommend gently flossing down to your gum line before hugging the tooth with the motions of up and down. As you floss your teeth, you should be aware of the snapping of floss, since it can cause pain and lower the effectiveness of plaque removal.

Dental professionals encourage individuals to visit the dentist for a checkup every six months. They will help you remove plaque and tartar by cleaning your teeth during a normal dental checkup. They will examine your teeth for hints that it has cavities, gum disease, mouth cancer, and many more oral problems. They also do x-rays for further oral investigations. Nonetheless, people should not be frightened and discuss with their dentist their mouth conditions, the frequency of their regular checkups will be based on their medical history, their age, and the overall oral health condition. Moreover, when you see changes, even the minimal, you should visit your dentist immediately for quick prevention of it from getting worse.

Stop the consumption of Tobacco. It is one of the causes of a failed immune system, causing your body to have difficulty generating new tissues, including the ones in your mouth. And according to some studies, smoking is one of the factors of gum diseases, which may be a warning for those smokers that might experience delayed healing following a dental operation. Other than those, it also affects the aesthetic of the teeth since it causes the yellowing of the teeth and foul mouth breath.

A person must limit their sugar consumption since it results in cavities. Sugar plays a big part in having poor dental health outcomes. Foods such as candies and pastries are the most common offenders and many processed foods also contain sugar. Furthermore, crackers, bread, chips, and spaghetti, a list of starchy foods, are also correlated to dental decay according to professionals. Aside from foods, sugar-sweetened drinks are also the most common source of sugar. Soda, juice, or other sugary drinks can increase the possibility of having dental cavities. These sugars are the ones that acid-producing bacteria feed on and this acid has the part inducing the decay of teeth. And, the American Diabetes Association suggests instead of consuming starchy carbohydrates, try consuming fruits and vegetables that are rich in fibers, also dairy products with no added sugar. Moreover, instead of drinking sweet beverages, try drinking more water and unsweetened tea, try to limit sugar-sweetened beverages, and only consume them at certain events.

On the other hand, when oral problems like tooth decay and gum disease are left untreated, these will cause discomfort, not only physically but mentally as it affects the individual’s self-esteem, and it causes tooth loss. And because of these effects, it can result in more serious problems like malnutrition, speech impairments, and other difficulties that will probably affect the job, school, or any personal routine.

Tooth decay is the result of the bacteria living in your teeth creating a nice coating on the surface of the teeth. They produce acids from the carbohydrates they get from the food we eat. Furthermore, these acids will break and damage the enamel of the teeth and attack the dentil layer or soft part underlying the enamel which leads to tooth decay. And these are the symptoms of tooth decay:

Foul breath smell
Black and brown spots on your teeth
Icky taste in your mouth

A gum disease, gingivitis, a minor type while periodontal disease is in its early stages. Gingivitis is a bacterial infection because of plaque building up on teeth. The common symptoms of it are (1) Red gums; (2) Swollen gums; (3) Bleeding gums; (4) Foul breath smell; and (5) sensitive teeth that are prone to pain when chewing.

Gingivitis can also lead to:

Shrinking gums
Losing permanent teeth
Changing in bite
Unpleasant taste in the mouth
Continuous bad breath

Halitosis is one of the most common dental disorders, commonly known as bad breath. It is the most upsetting and embarrassing since it affects the confidence of an individual. And these are the various list of causes:

Poor Oral Hygiene
Dry Mouth
Medications
Infections
Acid Reflux
Cancer

Nevertheless, most people do not assess their dental health unless it is their yearly checkup or even when the discomfort is becoming a real issue. Healthy teeth, as obviously, are not just for having to flash gleaming white teeth so these are the pointers that may help you indicate and monitor the health of your teeth with the help of yourself.

Mostly, gums are the number one indicator of your teeth’ health, whether it is in good or bad condition. Make sure to check your gums on a day-to-day basis to assure that it remains to look pink. You should glide your finger down your gums, you should feel that it is firm and painless, so when your gums are feeling the pain that is red and white, this is a red flag. Aside from the gums, your tongue should also feel firm and look pink. And you should clean your tongue every day like your teeth to eradicate any plaque that looks like a white film sitting on the tongue.

A healthy mouth should have a neutral smell in spite of the fact that most of the meals tend to have a strong odor that changes the fragrance of the mouth. Chronic foul-smelling breath or halitosis, like what has been mentioned above, is a symptom of a larger issue affecting the overall condition of your teeth.

Teeth color may change over time so you should keep an eye on it. White patches on teeth are frequently a sign of a cavity, dental decay, or damaged enamel. Also, when the tooth appears darker than the neighboring tooth, this might be an indicator of a damaged nerve even if the tooth is not experiencing any pain. And given that this can be done at home, regular checkups are still necessary since some color changes in teeth are not quite visible to the naked eye.

Given all the tips above on how to check your dental health, it is quite hard to take note of any changes that are very important for additional investigation. And these are the following changes you may have a hard time keeping up that results to:

Dry mouth causing difficulty to chew, swallow and even speak
Having white or crimson patches in the mouth
Swollen jaw
Numb and tingling in the mouth or just the tongue
Painful discomforts your mouth, lip, and throat.

And to be able to keep your toothy smile, here are the vitamins and minerals you should consume.

Calcium is commonly known for the benefits of the teeth as it helps to create bones and structural supports throughout the This hardens the tooth enamel and strengthens the jawbone inside the mouth.
Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium and also increases bone mineral
Potassium, like vitamin D, helps to enhance bone mineral density while also working with magnesium to keep your blood from getting over-acidic, which causes calcium to leak from your bones and teeth.

Vitamin C, the most common of all, helps to strengthen your gums and soft tissues found in the mouth. It can go against gingivitis which keeps your teeth from becoming loose.

Teeth are not only for decoration as it not only affects you physically but mentally. It can also cause several problems that may cost you money. Why cost money? When you can practice healthy oral hygiene that is not free but may cost you less money.

So don’t make your teeth sad, and just do the tips on the list to keep your teeth happy as well as your wallet full.