September 30, 2019 | Abby Caviness
Everyone’s mouth is different. While some people have perfect, straight pearly whites, others are a bit off-white and crooked. Regardless, all smiles are beautiful and should be cared for. In fact, they can all be cared for in the exact same way despite their other differences. In honor of October being National Dental Hygiene Month1, USHEALTH Group® is providing information on the importance of dental hygiene and why you should take more care of those teeth!*
Why Dental Hygiene is Important
How about we start with the basics: why should we care about
our dental hygiene? Dental hygiene is a practice we learn as kids to form a
habit of taking care of our teeth every day. However, when this practice is
neglected, both minor and major issues can arise, including tooth decay, gum
disease, and infections.
According to Medical
News Today, “there are up to 700 different types of bacteria existing in
our mouth.”2 Even though most of these bacteria are harmless, they
can cause disease if they enter your digestive and respiratory tracts.3
And, since the mouth is the entry point to these areas of your body, it is
important to clear your mouth of bacteria regularly to keep these bacteria from
getting out of control. In fact, there are quite a few common diseases you may
not realize are showing connections to poor dental hygiene.
Effects of Poor
Dental Hygiene
Unfortunately, poor dental health caused by a lack of dental
hygienics can cause serious problems in other areas of the body. Studies have
shown the bacteria from the mouth can enter the digestive and respiratory tracts,
but they can also migrate into the brain and blood stream, causing additional,
more complicated issues. Take a look at a few of the effects of poor hygiene to
motivate you:
Alzheimer’s2
In 2010, researchers from New
York University found a link between gum inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease.
Over the course of 20 years, researchers studied 152 participants and found a
strong link between gum disease in 70-year-old Alzheimer patients and low scores
for cognitive function. Later, in 2013, researchers from the University of
Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom found traces of a bacterium (Porphyromonas gingivalis) in brain
samples taken from Alzheimer’s patients. To prove their point further, they
took samples from healthy individuals and found no traces of the bacterium.
Pancreatic Cancer2
In 2007, researchers from Harvard School of Public Health
reported evidence of a link between gum disease and pancreatic cancer. The researchers
focused specifically on periodontitis, which affects the tissues supporting the
teeth and causes lose of bone at the base of the teeth. Following the study of
51,000 men, the researchers found a 64 percent increased risk of pancreatic
cancer if they had a history of gum disease. Researchers believe this is caused
by chemicals found in the mouths of people with gum disease, which travel down
to the stomach, react with digestive chemicals, and create a favorable environment
for pancreatic cancer. However, a later study was unable to prove that periodontitis
caused pancreatic cancer—the study only proved they were linked.
Heart Disease2
Joint research by the University
of Bristol in the UK and the Royal College
of Surgeons in Ireland, found people with bleeding gums due to poor dental
hygiene could be at risk for heart disease. This is because the open wounds in
the mouth allow bacteria from the mouth to enter the bloodstream and cause
blood clots by sticking to platelets. The bacteria end up clumping the platelets
together to use them as a shield against attack by immune cells, which also makes
them less detectable to antibiotics.
As you can see, poor hygiene can cause more complicated
issues that will make you wish you had just brushed your teeth more. Though,
while brushing your teeth is the main ingredient for a healthy mouth, there are
additional steps you should consider just to be safe!
Basic Dental Hygiene
If you make your dental hygiene part of your daily routine,
it does not have to be complicated. Healthline provides some tips and best
practices for proper dental hygiene you may want to consider moving forward to
protect yourself from issues that arise from poor dental hygiene:4
Do not go to bed without brushing your teeth
After a full day of eating and drinking, it is important you wash away all residual food particles from your mouth. Additionally, if you drink soda, the chemicals and sugar left behind will eat at your enamel and yellow your teeth, so you will want to rinse them off and not let it sit on the surface of your teeth overnight.
Brush properly
Doctors recommend brushing for at
least two minutes, taking your time with each tooth to remove plaque and food
residue. Move the toothbrush in gentle, circular motions on the surface of each
tooth, because unremoved plaque can harden and build up on each tooth.
Do not neglect brushing your tongue
The tongue is the main culprit in
bad breath, so it is important to also remove the plaque and bacteria from the
tongue. This way, you can always make a good impression and keep yourself safe
from infection.
Use toothpaste containing fluoride
As tempting as it is to buy the toothpaste claiming it can whiten your teeth by 90 percent in two weeks, the main ingredient you should look for is fluoride. Though many have scrutinized the effects of fluoride, it is proven to be the leading defender against tooth decay, fighting germs, and providing a protective barrier around your teeth.
Consider mouthwash
Mouthwash is another dental
hygiene step people often tend to forget, but it is more important than you
think. Using mouthwash can accomplish three things: reduces acid in the mouth,
cleans hard-to-brush areas of your mouth, and re-mineralizes teeth. Doctors even
say using mouthwash can be helpful for children and the elderly as a
replacement for flossing.
Treat flossing as important as brushing
While flossing is a component many
individuals forget, it is usually key for making sure your teeth are truly
clean. However, there are more benefits to just cleanliness. Flossing also
stimulates the gums, reduces plaque, and helps to lower inflammation in the
gums.
Drink more water
While it is always beneficial to drink water, because it helps a variety of body functions, it is also good for your oral health. Water works very well to rinse your mouth of food and beverage residue between brushes. This way, the chemicals will not have as much time to sit on your teeth and eat away your enamel.
Eat crunchy fruits and vegetables
Fresh, crunchy vegetables provide
your jaw a workout and your body additional healthy fiber. Eating these kinds of
produce can even work to clean plaque off the surface of the teeth and make
your toothbrush job a little easier!
Limit sugary and acidic foods
When sugar enters the mouth, it converts into an acid, which erodes the enamel of the teeth. Fun fact: that doesn’t grow back. Once your enamel is eaten away, you cannot get it back. So, being mindful of fruits, teas, and coffee, which are culprits in eating away your enamel, can help you to protect and maintain the surface of your teeth.
Visit your dentist at least twice a year
Even if you take great care of
your teeth, there could still be an issue lurking beneath the surface, like
cavities! Your dentist can also clean your teeth better and deeper than a
simple toothbrush and spot minor issues before they become major.
Takeaway
Dental hygiene is not just about having a pearly white smile and fresh breath. Having poor habits of taking care of your mouth can affect many other areas of the body. So, take initiative for National Dental Hygiene Month and start caring for your mouth the way you should!
*This
material is provided by USHEALTH Group for informational/educational purposes
only and should not replace medical/clinical advice or direction from your
health care provider.
- Colgate, “October is National Dental Hygiene Month,” Colgate.com, accessed
September 27, 2019, https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/life-stages/adult-oral-care/ada-october-is-national-dental-hygiene-month - Mayo Clinic Staff, “Oral health: A window to
your overall health,” MayoClinic.org, published June 4, 2019, https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/best-practices-for-healthy-teeth#1 - Cafasso, Jacquelyn, “Everything You Need to Know
About Dental and Oral Health,” Healthline.com, last modified May 25, 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health - Cherney, Kristeen, “11 Ways to Keep Your Teeth
Healthy,” Healthline.com, last modified November 13, 2017, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/dental/art-20047475