Your oral health is more important than you might realize. In this article, learn how the health of your mouth can affect your overall health. Your oral health has an effect on more than just your teeth. Poor oral health can contribute to issues with your self-esteem, speech, or nutrition. They can also affect your comfort and overall quality of life.
In case you don’t know, your mouth is full of bacteria (mostly harmless), but is also the entry point to your digestive and respiratory tracts, and some of these bacteria can be a starting point for some diseases. A good oral health (such as daily brushing and flossing) and the body’s natural defenses keeps the bacteria under control, however, without proper oral hygiene, the bacterias can lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease.
The dental caries (tooth decay) result when plaque forms on the surface of a tooth and converts the free sugars contained in foods and drinks into acids that destroy the tooth over time. On the other hand, periodontal (gum) disease affects the tissues that surround and support the tooth.
The disease is characterized by bleeding or swollen gums (gingivitis), pain and sometimes bad breath. In its more severe form, the gum can come away from the tooth and supporting bone, causing teeth to become loose and sometimes fall out. The main causes of periodontal disease are poor oral hygiene and tobacco use (an interesting fact is that people who smoke are 3 times more likely to lose all their teeths)
In addition, certain medications (such as decongestants, painkillers, and antidepressants) can reduce saliva flow, which washes away food and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, helping to protect you from microbes that multiply and lead to disease.
According to some specialists, these are the behaviors you should have on a daily basis to keep a good oral health:
- Brush the teeths twice a day. Once just before bed and once first thing in the morning, before you have had anything to eat or drink;
- Floss daily;
- Eat a healthy diet and limit sugary food and drinks;
- Do not brush your teeth within thirty minutes of eating or drinking, particularly if you have eaten something sweet, as the brushing can rub the remains of the food into your teeth, rather than removing it;
- Use a soft or medium toothbrush, and if you can, a electric one;
- Replace your toothbrush every three to four months, or sooner if bristles are splayed or worn;
- Schedule regular dental checkups and cleanings (twice a year);
- Avoid tobacco use
As you realize, your long-term outcome depends on your own efforts. You can’t always prevent every cavity, but you can reduce your risk of severe gum disease and tooth loss by staying on top of your daily oral care.
Here at Sweetcare, our recommendation is to use:
- FOREO ISSA 3 - the 4-in-1 total oral care revolution: ISSA™ 3 is clinically proven to improve overall oral hygiene by 140%. Sonic Pulse Technology creates micro-sweeps to gently and thoroughly clean teeth and gums, effectively removing 30% more plaque than a manual toothbrush. Ideal for treating periodontal problems such as gum irritation & redness, ISSA™ 3 has been clinically proven to reduce gingivitis.
- Elgydium Clinic Dental Floss: suited for those with tender gums that bleed easily, it also has fluoride for preventing tooth decay.
- Elgydium toothpaste:
- whitening toothpaste: it contains micro pulverized sodium bicarbonate, a non-abrasive whitening agent, which ensures whiter and brighter teeth.
- anti plaque toothpaste: helps with the effective removal of the plaque and permitting rapid regeneration of the affected gum tissue.
- brightness & care toothpaste: Formulated with mineral silicon + bamboo silicon + fluorinol with micro-abrasive action + enamel strengthen. This toothpaste is especially suitable for extrinsic and resistant dental pigmentation (ex:, coffee, alcohol, tobacco).
- decay protection toothpaste: With 1250 ppm fluorinol®, a substance patented by Pierre Fabre laboratories, is faster and better fixed to the teeth and enhances the anti-caries protection caused by bacteria and acids.
- bacterial and plaque gums toothpaste: Formulated with Chlorhexidine (0.05%), cetylpyridinium chloride and calcium carbonate to remove plaque and protect gums.