Do you know maintaining good oral health is essential for overall health? If not taken care of properly, oral health issues may lead to several other health problems. Poor oral hygiene and bad habits can cause teeth and gum diseases and can be the reason for diabetes and even heart diseases. Therefore, it would be correct to say that a mouth reflects the overall general health and well-being.
What is oral health?
As per FDI’s definition of oral health, “Oral health is multi-faceted and includes the ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions through facial expressions with confidence and without pain, discomfort, and disease of the craniofacial complex (head, face, and oral cavity).”
It means that no matter the age of a person, good oral health is essential for overall general health and well-being.
Our mouth carries certain bacteria (mostly harmless). Some of these bacteria can lead to various diseases if proper oral care practices are not followed daily. Poor oral hygiene may trigger bacteria to cause oral infections, resulting in gum disease and tooth decay. The condition may require various dental procedures to overcome dental issues. However, with proper dental care and hygiene, one can avoid costly dental treatments. Therefore, implementing good oral care habits such as daily brushing and flossing can help keep bacteria under control and ultimately prevent serious infections and diseases. In this blog, we will talk about the most important oral care habit: brushing.
How does brushing help to improve oral health?
Brushing is a simple yet most effective and important dental care habit that helps preserve and maintain a person’s smile and overall health. Proper brushing and flossing and regular dental checkups can help prevent the chances of tooth decay and gum disease. Brushing helps to fight against cavities. It is vital to remove plaque, generally a transparent layer of bacteria that coats the teeth. With proper brushing (twice a day), plaque can be removed easily at home. Another important role of brushing in oral health is that it helps to stimulate the gums to keep them healthy and free from diseases.
Key reasons why to brush your teeth
1. To keep the mouth fresh
Not cleaning your mouth with brushing can lead to bad breath issues. Brushing helps to remove all the trash (food particles) that has settled in your mouth. Keeping the mouth clean with brushing can help remove all the waste, and the result will be fresh breath.
2. To avoid costly treatments
Prevention is much cost-efficient than cure, isn’t it? Proper dental care of teeth and gums can help prevent various oral health issues like tooth decay, gum disease, cavities, etc. Brushing teeth daily keeps oral health in good condition, thus helping to avoid costly dental treatments.
3. To prevent gum issues
Brushing teeth daily cleans the teeth and stimulates gums, and keeps them healthy for long. However, the absence of proper oral care increases the chances of gum disease. One such issue is Gingivitis. It is basically the inflammation of the gums that occurs due to the access buildup of plaque around the teeth. If ignored for long, it leads to severe swelling and even bleeding gums. Thus, brushing is necessary to prevent such gum issues.
4. To lessen the chances of heart disease
If you wonder how simple brushing can help decrease the chances of heart disease, you must know that heart disease like heart stroke or attack can occur if the bacteria from the mouth gets transmitted into the bloodstream. Bacteria generally settle in the plaque. With proper brushing, plaque can be removed easily, which eliminates the chances of bacteria affecting the health of our heart.
5. To remove stains
Using a good quality, clinically proven toothpaste can help to remove the debris and stains on the teeth’ surface easily and effectively. Various mild abrasives in toothpaste-like magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, phosphate salts and silicates, dehydrated silica gels, and others help remove the stains. This can also help to maintain a confident smile on your face.
6. To minimize diabetes
It is important to note that various severe gum diseases can affect blood glucose control in the body that can accelerate the progression of diabetes. However, with daily brushing, one can reduce the chances of gum disease and minimize the risk of diabetes.
7. To reduce the chances of the premature birth of a child
Do you know oral health can affect your baby’s health as well? Yes, it has been reported that some gum diseases can increase premature birth and low birth weight. Therefore, keeping the mouth and gums healthy is vital to minimize the risk associated with childbirth.
It just takes a few minutes to brush your teeth, and you are good to go with a healthy smile on your face. Proper brushing can help you to save huge on costly dental treatments while improving your overall general health and well-being. Just keep in mind a few brushing basics like brush your teeth twice a day, use a soft-bristled toothbrush, use fluoride toothpaste, don’t brush too hard, use brush gently with circular short back-and-forth motions, keep your toothbrush clean with water, keep your toothbrush separately to prevent cross-contamination, replace your toothbrush as soon as its bristles flay or become uneven.
As a matter of fact:
Oral health is the key to overall good health and well-being. Make proper brushing your daily habit to maintain good oral hygiene. Even children must be taught about the importance of keeping their teeth and gums clean with various dental care habits, including brushing and flossing. Also, don’t ignore any oral health issues. Do consult with your dentist if you notice any oral health problem that is making you uncomfortable.
