Easy Tips to Improve Oral Health Care

What is Oral Hygiene?

When we talk about oral hygiene, what do we mean? Oral hygiene refers the practice of keeping the mouth and teeth clean and free from disease. The first line of oral hygiene is self-care, brushing the teeth, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash. Seeing the dentist is another important part of oral hygiene. Knowing how to take care of oral health is important, not just for preserving your teeth and gums, but also for maintaining your overall health.

How Important is Oral Hygiene?

Put simply, if you neglect your oral hygiene, it can have negative repercussions on the health of your body. How does poor oral care contribute to poor health? Not taking good care of your teeth and gums leads to dental decay, gym disease, and other oral health problems. Left untreated, these problems increase your risk of overall health problems, including dementia, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and head and neck cancers. Pregnant women with poor oral health are more likely to experience premature birth.

Top Tips for Better Oral Hygiene

Good oral hygiene begins at home, and children should be taught to care for their teeth at a young age. The lessons learned at a young age and carried into adulthood come down to three simple but very important tips:

• Practice effective oral hygiene.
• Eat a nutritious diet.
• See your dentist regularly.

How Can Treatment Help Me?

Seeing a dentist regularly for oral health care helps catch any problems early so that they don’t become major issues. What is oral health care? There are three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary. So, let’s start by asking, what is primary oral health care? It is the reinforcement of all the factors discussed above, combined with preventive maintenance from a dental healthcare professional. Secondary oral health care involves preventive measures like sealants and fluoride application, while tertiary treatment addresses cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease, to help improve the health of the mouth. It is recommended that patients see their dentists twice yearly for cleanings, preventive measures, and necessary treatments.

Regular dental visits serve several purposes. Dental cleanings help protect against tooth decay and cavities by reaching spots often missed during routine brushing and flossing. During a cleaning, plaque is removed from around the gum line, and this helps to prevent gum disease. Because gum disease can cause teeth to fall out, regular cleanings can help prevent tooth loss. Of course, these regular cleanings also improve the appearance of your teeth, and can reduce or eliminate bad breath. The treatment your dentist provides can help keep your mouth and body healthy, but you must do your part, as well.

Limit Sugar Consumption

You’ve probably heard since you were a child that eating sweets can cause cavities. The truth is that sugar does not cause tooth decay on its own. However, when you eat high-sugar foods, leftover particles in your mouth combine with saliva and bacteria to form plaque. The bacteria that break down the sugar produce harmful acids, and these can easily dissolve your enamel. Weakened enamel and plaque are a combination that leads not only to tooth decay, but also to gum disease, as well as serious health complications like diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even some cancers.

Eat Properly

In addition to cutting back on sugary foods, caring for your oral health requires eating a nutritious diet. So, what foods should you eat? Certain vitamins and minerals are essential to your oral health, including vitamin A, calcium, iron, Vitamins B2 and B12, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C. To incorporate these nutrients into your diet, fill your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables like leafy greens, citrus, dairy, and lean protein.  Check food labels for hidden sugars, disguised under the names glucose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, and fructose. Steer clear of added sugar as much as possible.

Brush Better

Brushing twice or more a day will not do you much good if you are not doing it effectively. Do you know the right way to brush? Using a soft bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste, brush your teeth and tongue in the morning and evening, using small, circular strokes and taking care to reach all the surfaces. Spend at least two minutes doing this, and consider brushing an extra time or two if you have eaten sugary snacks. Throw out your toothbrush and get a new one every three to four months, because a worn, frayed toothbrush won’t get the job done correctly.

Improve Your Flossing Habits

Many people avoid flossing because it is a practice that can be time-consuming and frustrating. However, without flossing, it is not possible to get rid of all the food particles, debris, and bacteria in your mouth. These lurk between the teeth and against the gumline, so flossing correctly can help prevent periodontal disease, tooth decay, and potential bone loss. Use the right flossing technique, moving a piece of floss between two teeth, down to the gums, and the back up the side of each tooth. Continue doing this until you have flossed between all the teeth in your mouth. Finish with mouthwash, picking one that your dentist recommends.

Let Brevard Health Alliance Help Protect Your Oral and Overall Health

Whether you need a dentist, a primary care physician, or a behavioral health specialist, Brevard Health Alliance, Inc. is here for you. Brevard County’s only Federally Qualified Health Center, BHA offers extensive health care services on a sliding-fee scale, so that we can treat residents regardless of their ability to pay. We’re committed to providing an extraordinary quality of care for our patients in order to improve the health status of Brevard County. Our focus is on continually improving the quality and efficiency of our care, and on ensuring that every patient we serve is heard, encouraged, and respected. As your family health care provider, we strive to provide not just acute care but also preventive care and health care related education. Our board certified physicians, advanced practice nurse practitioners, and physician assistance provide primary care that includes well child checkups, well woman care, and physicals, along with chronic disease management. In fact, since 2005 we’ve provided not only primary care services, but also behavioral health services, dental services, diagnostic services, resource management services, pharmacy services, women’s health care and obstetrics, Hepatitis C and HIV services, extended hours pediatric walk-in care, and specialty referrals. For more information, to find a location, or to make an appointment, contact us through our website.