WISE FACTS ABOUT ORAL HYGIENE
Taking care of your teeth is as much a part of growing up as learning to recite the alphabets or memorize the multiplication tables.
But is it as easy as A-B-C.?
When it comes to our teeth, most of us still have a thing or two to learn.
Let’s glance through some hygiene facts for our ivories which we may have been unknown to us even after so many years:
- YOUR TEETH’S 1ST LINE OF DEFENCE IS YOUR SALIVA.
Saliva is nature’s disinfecting cavity fighter. It consists of water and mucus among other things, but mucus plays an important role. It consists of enzymes that can break down the many bacterial cell walls.
Tooth decay is caused by bacteria that feed on sugars from food and drinks. That bacteria — called plaque — can stick to your teeth, producing acids that eat through the enamel on your teeth. Saliva, the trusty old friend, helps rinse out your mouth and neutralize this process.
The same result could be tough if you have a dry mouth. The buffering effects of saliva, the ability of saliva to counter the bad effects of sugar if you don’t have enough saliva, [you may have] a real problem.
People who consume too many medications may be susceptible to dry mouth and possible tooth decay. In such a case, keep a bottle of water hand and keep sipping water throughout the day. Or you may suck on some sugar-free candies or popsicles.
- SIP ALL DAY, RISK DECAY!
It is not how much of sugar or starch we eat but how we eat that affects our teeth more. The acids created by the bacteria that attack all that carbohydrate-laden stuff we swallow — whether it’s a spoonful of sugar in our morning tea/coffee or the irresistible pastry — are what get at our teeth.
So, the more often we eat sugars and other carbs, the more often those acids get a chance to chip away at our pearly whites.
At least for our teeth, it is better to eat at one go than to eat a lot of little meals.
If we are eating an entire meal, then that’s just one acid attack. But sipping on a soft drink or eating anything with carbohydrate in it, each time you sip, you create an acid attack on your teeth.
- FLUORIDE: IS IT SAFE?
There is no dispute that the naturally occurring mineral fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. But the question is how much fluoride is too much?
There are multiple sources of fluoride, including the naturally occurring ones. There is fluoride in the BMC water supplies, in toothpaste and mouthwashes.
Fluorosis, a condition caused by excessive intake of fluoride compounds, causes discolouration of teeth or white lacy markings on teeth and may have surface irregularities. It occurs in the first 8 years of life when the permanent teeth are about to form.
Restrict the use of fluoride-containing toothpaste amongst kids. Many kids enjoy the taste of their highly flavoured and sweetened toothpaste and swallow the toothpaste instead of spitting it out.
Children up to 3 years of age should use a rice-sized smear of fluoridated toothpaste.
Kids aged 3 years to 6 years should use a pea-sized amount only.
- TEETH – A WINDOW TO YOUR OVERALL HEALTH!
Statistics present the grim reality that 95% of the population in India suffer from periodontal disease or gum disorders, only 50% use a toothbrush, and just 2% visit the dentist
1 in 7 adults aged 35 to 44 years suffer from gum disease whereas the number increases to 1 in 4 for those over 65 years of age.
People with gum disease have 2 to 3 times the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular events.
The inflammation associated with our body fighting the bacteria can affect in other areas of our body.
According to WHO (World Health Organization), oral health is considered a key indicator of overall health, wellbeing and quality of life. Hence, maintaining good oral hygiene is very important.
KEY Points for good oral health:
- Brush your mouth properly (At least twice a day)
- Have a teeth-friendly diet: Foods such as nuts, fruits (such as apples) and vegetables, cheese and chicken are teeth-friendly. Cheese activates our salivary glands to produce more saliva and neutralize the acid. But consuming it small quantities is advisable due to its high-calorie content.
- Limit intake of Soda and Alcohol: Instead, have drinks that enable enamel strength and hydrates your body. Avoid highly sweetened, sugary drinks. (Tip – If you must take sodas or alcohol, do so with a straw to avoid the drink coming in direct contact with your teeth.)
- Tobacco leads to many periodontal diseases and oral cancer.
- Visit the dentist regularly: As permissible as your schedule is, make it a habit to visit a dental care clinic regularly for full an oral check-up and teeth cleaning.
