Dental Health

DENTAL HEALTH (GENERAL PATIENT AWARENESS IN DENTISTRY)

DAILY ORAL HEALTH REGIME

• Brush twice a day


• Floss and clean between your teeth once a day


• Inculcate simple habit of rinsing with plain water after every snack/meal


• Schedule regular dental check-ups


• Limit consumption of drinks that causes surface stains such as coffee, tea, carbonated drinks


• Quit smoking and tobacco

HOW SHOULD MY MOUTH LOOK LIKE ON INSIDE?

Between dental check-ups, check your mouth for warning signs of gum disease and oral cancer

WARNING SIGNS
GUM DISEASES

• Puffy, red sore, shiny, or bleeding or sensitive gums


• Bleeding when you brush/ floss


• Bad breath

ORAL CANCER

• Numbness and tingling sensation in affected areas in oral cavity


• Open sores which do not heal for more than 10 days


• Lumps or thickening on bottom or sides of your tongue, roof of your mouth, cheeks

STRESS AND ORAL HEALTH

People may overlook the effects of stress on oral health. However, our mouth can be just as affected by stress as rest of our body is.

EFFECTS OF STRESS ON ORAL HEALTH

• Neglect of oral health routines


• Poor life style choices- smoking, alcohol, eating more sugary foods – lead to oral cancer, gum diseases and tooth decay


• Teeth grinding (bruxism) – leads to wear down of teeth surfaces; also, teeth become painful or slightly loose or prone to fracture from severe grinding

SIMPLE STEPS TO REDUCE THE STRESS IMPACT ON ORAL HEALTH

• Relaxation/exercises techniques to reduce your stress


• Regular dental check-ups


• Talk to the dentist about getting custom-made night guard to protect your teeth from grinding during sleep


• Eat balanced diet


• Drink lot of water


• Stay active


• Get plenty of sleep

DIABETES AND ORAL HEALTH

Research shows that diabetes and oral health affect each other. This means, if you are diabetic, you are at greater risk of developing oral health issues.

HOW?

Gum problems can intensify if associated with diabetes (most commonly). Others are:

• Tooth decay


• Dry mouth


• Fungal infection


• Lesion in mouth


• Taste impairment


• Infection and delayed healing


• Erosion of bone surrounding teeth

AM I AT RISK FOR DIABETES?

If you are 40 or above, you are at possible risk. Other risk factors are:

• Overweight


• Family history


• Gestational diabetes( diabetes during pregnancy )


• High blood pressure


• High cholesterol


• Unhealthy food habits


• Improper/inadequate sleep


• Sedentary life style

TIPS ON HEALTHY SNACKS

If you want stronger teeth for your lifetime, you need to ensure you are eating whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables and lean meat. Some other diet add-ups include nuts and seeds, peanut butter, cheese, plain yogurt.

ACID EROSIONS

There are some snacks and drinks that may cause acid erosions. Acid erosions occur when food with low pH (highly acidic) are consumed. They take away minerals from teeth and cause softening of teeth surface. This leads to increased sensitivity and may require treatment. The big culprits are soft drinks, orange juice and lemonade which cause acid erosions.

A NOTE ABOUT SWEETS

• When it comes to your teeth, it’s not the quantity of sweets you take, but the amount of time that you leave your teeth exposed to sweets and frequency of eating really matters. So, it’s always better to take sweets at mealtime rather than between meal times, so that, saliva will protect your teeth.


• If you cannot avoid sweets between meals , choose less sugar sweets


• Sticky food such as toffee and hard candy should be avoided as snacks. If you can’t, atleast ensure the remnants don’t remain stuck on teeth surfaces.

TOOTH DECAY

Tooth decay is caused by germs that feed on sugar from food and secrete acid that harms teeth.

All foods and drinks except water, can lead to teeth decay in this way. Here are some tips to prevent tooth decay

• Try fresh or unsweetened canned vegetables / fruits


• Prefer eating whole grain foods


• Avoid or limit carbonated drinks and sweetened juices as they contain acid and sugar that cause tooth decay


• Have sweets during meal time as saliva protects the teeth

FOOD AND YOUR TEETH

Like our body, teeth also require vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. To attain proper tooth development and strength, children and adults need to consume:

• Calcium (milk, cheese, yogurt)


• Phosphorous(chicken, egg, bread)


• Vitamin A (liver, pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, mango, spinach, broccoli)


• Vitamin C ( citrus fruits, tomato, strawberry, cabbage)


• Vitamin D (milk, egg yolk)


• Fluoride in traces

PERSONAL ORAL CARE
SELECTION OF TOOTH BRUSH

There are wide varieties of tooth brushes available in market nowadays.

TIPS TO CHOOSE RIGHT TOOTHBRUSH

• Choose a tooth brush with small head so that it’s easier to move around in the mouth


• Tooth brush should have soft bristles


• Tooth brush should fit comfortable in patients’ hands

“MOST IMPORTANT IS BRUSHING TWICE A DAY”
CARE FOR THE TOOTH BRUSH

• Do not share your tooth brush


• After brushing, rinse your brush with tap water thoroughly, and allow it to air dry


• Store brush standing upright


• If it’s near other tooth brushes, never let the brush head to touch


• Do not store in closed container


• Change your tooth brush every 3 to 4 months or when bristles fray (looks bent and worn)

SELECTION OF TOOTH PASTE

People have different dental problems and benefit from different tooth paste. Talk to the dentist about the tooth paste that suits you. Do not use adult tooth paste for kids below 12 years of age.

SELECTION OF ORAL RINSES

Oral rinses are not a substitute for brushing and flossing your teeth. Oral rinses are not recommended for children, especially children living in fluoridated area. The mouthwash range from simple mouthwash that fight bad breath to one that has fluoride, to more specialised mouthwash that fights against plaque and gingivitis (gum disease). Talk to the dentist about the oral rinses that best suits your need.