What You Need to Know About Dental Health
It’s February, and dental health organizations and providers across the US are celebrating National Children’s Dental Health Month. When it comes to dental health, the stakes are high. Several studies have correlated oral health with cardiovascular health. Other research has identified a correlation between the bacteria that causes gum disease and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Although maintaining good dental hygiene is critical to our health, it often gets pushed to the end of our task lists. According to a survey conducted in 2005, 76.1% of Americans rated oral health as “very important.” But despite knowing the importance of oral health, only 30% of the population flosses daily. It can be difficult to find time and resources to devote to maintaining oral health, but practicing good dental hygiene can protect our overall health.
“When we get overwhelmed with busy schedules, people can forget to prioritize their nightly cleaning habits,” says Dr. Andrea Santo, D.M.D., dentist and owner of Lakeview Dental of Coral Springs. “It's far more advantageous to clean before bed, whether that's brushing, flossing or all of the above, than to neglect it completely and develop an oral health issue.”
Here are the basics of proper dental hygiene — and why it’s so important.
The Basics of Proper Dental Hygiene
Toothbrushing, flossing and rinsing can prevent plaque and bacteria from building up. Toothbrushing serves two purposes, says Dr. Brigitte White Zivkovic, D.M.D., principal dentist at Bright Whites Dental and author of Making the Cut. The motions used when brushing your teeth help to clear away food debris and bacteria, and toothpaste introduces chemical components that help repair and remineralize your teeth.
But brushing your teeth alone only cleans up to 80% of your teeth’s surface area. “Teeth have five surfaces,” Dr. White points out. “Even with a power toothbrush you can’t reach the surfaces between your teeth.” Flossing can minimize the build-up of food and bacteria between your teeth. Once you’ve loosened food debris and bacteria from your teeth, it’s important to rinse it out with salt water or an antiseptic like hydrogen peroxide, Dr. White says. Finally, scraping bacteria from the tongue helps prevent build-up.
Good dental hygiene is a daily practice. Visiting a dentist twice a year serves as prophylactic therapy to prevent cavities and gum disease, Dr. White points out, but the first line of defense is daily toothbrushing, flossing and rinsing.
Other factors that contribute to oral health include eating and drinking habits. Diets that include fruit and complex sugars are healthier and have less impact on tooth decay than simple sugars. “Apples can help, for example, because they contain malic acid which stimulates the salivary glands,” points out Dr. White. Highly acidic beverages like soda, tea or coffee, on the other hand, can break down tooth enamel and cause sensitivity.
Good Oral Health Contributes to Overall Health
In addition to providing therapeutic cleaning, dental visits can help monitor other aspects of oral health. “Almost all dental practices offer complimentary oral cancer screenings while the dentist is doing their exam,” says Dr. Santo. “Dentists can also detect early signs of other ailments, such as diabetes, by how they change elements within your mouth, such as dry mouth, tooth decay, periodontal disease or oral candidiasis.”
Although poor oral health hasn’t been proven to cause Alzheimer’s or heart disease, the correlation between dental health and overall health is strong. Maintaining dental hygiene can prevent several other disorders throughout your body, especially cardiovascular disorders.
“Oral bacteria could cause gum disease, a gum infection accompanied by inflammation, bleeding and persistent bad breath,” says Dr. Shahrooz Yazdani, dentist and owner at Yazdani Family Dentistry. “The inflammation of the gums could spread to other parts of the body including the arteries, which could then lead to cardiovascular diseases like stroke or heart attack.”
Establish Good Dental Health Practices Early
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists recommends that parents bring their children to see a dentist within six months of their first tooth emerging or by their first birthday. But many parents wait to bring their children to see a dentist until they are 3-4 years old. Bringing children to the dentist beginning in their first year can set the stage for good dental health and habits throughout life.
“If everything's fine it's a very quick visit,” Dr. White says. “It's a good time for us to take a look at the anatomy mixture and to have a conversation about hygiene at home.”
Many children learn to fear the dentist, but this can be mitigated by frequent visits starting at a young age, says Dr. White. She suggests using stories to educate children on dental health and normalizing dental visits and healthy dental hygiene habits at home.
Dr. Santo agrees. “Parents and spouses can set a good example for oral healthcare based on consistency,” she says. “Make the household's morning and evening habits routine so they don't feel like chores but simply become habitual.”
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