How to Maintain Oral Hygiene
By: Ken HurtTotal Views: 323, Word Count: 548,
Oral hygiene is defined as taking care the teeth, gums, and mouth and avoid dental problems by reducing plaque and bacteria. Let us know how to maintain oral hygiene. Oral hygiene includes brushing your teeth properly, cleaning the tongue, flossing, and visiting you dentist on a regular basis.
Before knowing the details about oral hygiene, let us figure out what is meant by good oral hygiene? Good oral hygiene means:
- Clean teeth
- Pink gums
- No bad breath
Maintaining oral hygiene is important for your overall well-being. Along with regular visits to your dentist, here are some important steps discussed to decrease the risk of developing gum disease, tooth decay, and other dental problems. These steps include:
- Brushing twice a day
- Flossing daily
- Taking a balanced diet
- Using dental products containing fluoride
- Rinsing with a fluoride mouth rinse
Important Aspects of Maintaining Oral Hygiene
Plaque and Oral Hygiene
1. Plaque is a yellow sticky film that is present on the teeth and gums. The bacteria present in plaque discharges acid and it attacks the tooth enamel.
2. This repeated action can result into tooth decay. Thorough daily brushing, along with flossing can prevent plaque forming on the teeth.
3. Plaque causes irritation to the gums, and make them red, tender, or bleed easily.
4. Eating a balanced diet can prevent tooth decay, and periodontal disease.
5. Nutritious foods for e.g. raw vegetables, cheese, plain yogurt, or a piece of fruit are known to be good foods to take.
Flossing and Oral Hygiene
1. Dental floss is an important component of oral hygiene because it removes the plaque and the rotten food stucked between the teeth.
2. Flossing is recommended for proper inter-dental cleaning at least once per day to prevent gum disease, receding gums, and cavities between the teeth.
Tongue Cleaning
1. Tongue cleaning is also a part of maintaining oral hygiene
2. It removes white or yellow bad-breath-generating bacteria, fungi, decaying food particles, and dead cells from the dorsal area of the tongue.
3. Tongue cleaning also removes some of the tooth decaying bacteria and gum problems.
Gum Care
Massaging gums with the help of toothbrush bristles is recommended for good oral health.
Oral Irrigation
Many dental practitioners recommend oral irrigation to clean teeth and gums. Oral irrigators have the ability to get in touch with the gum present under 3–4 mm of gum line. These oral irrigators use pressured and well directed stream of water to dislocate plaque and bacteria present in gums.
Use of Chewing Gum for Healthy Teeth
Chewing gum also helps to form oral irrigation between and around the teeth, followed by cleaning and removing particles present in the cavity. But when teeth are in poor condition, it is possible that chewing gum may injure or remove loose fillings.
In this way, we can say that it is very easy to maintain oral hygiene which has a positive impact on our social behavior.
About the Author
Dr. Ken Hurt is a well known dentist and has been in this field since 1995. He is graduated in doctor of dental medicine from London University. His interest lies in cosmetic dentistry, gum and teeth replacement, children dentistry, drug therapy, psychology in dentistry, oral surgery and pathology.
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