Oral hygiene is more than just a bright smile. It’s a gateway to your overall health. Let’s delve into the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene, how often you should brush and floss, and the consequences of neglecting these practices.
Why Oral Hygiene Matters
Good oral hygiene is fundamental to overall health and wellbeing. Without it, a person’s general quality of life and the ability to eat, speak, and socialise is compromised, resulting in pain, discomfort, and embarrassment1. Moreover, poor oral health is linked to a number of chronic diseases, including stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Here are some statistics to highlight the importance of oral hygiene:
- Oral diseases affect close to 3.5 billion people worldwide, with 3 out of 4 people affected living in middle-income countries.
- An estimated 2 billion people suffer from caries of permanent teeth and 514 million children suffer from caries of primary teeth.
- Over a quarter of all adults in the United States have untreated tooth decay. Nearly half (46%) of all adults aged 30 years or older show signs of gum disease; severe gum disease affects about 9% of adults.
- In Australia, poor oral health – mainly tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss – affects many children and adults, and contributed 4.5% of all the burden that non-fatal burden diseases placed on the community in 2022
Brushing and Flossing: The Dynamic Duo
The Australian Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes each time. This helps remove dental plaque, a sticky, colourless film of bacteria that forms on teeth. In addition to brushing, it’s important to clean between your teeth using floss or an alternative interdental cleaner once each day. Flossing gets between your teeth to clean away the plaque that your toothbrush can’t reach.
It’s also important to have regular visits to your dentists to check your teeth and make sure there are no cavities and to get regular cleans. You should be getting your teeth cleaned twice a year
If you leave the plaque to settle overtime, it can cause formation of calculus which is basically hard plaque and that is something you can just simply brush off. You would have to see a dentist to scale it off. The differences are shown below:
The Consequences of Neglecting Oral Hygiene
Neglecting oral hygiene can lead to a range of oral health issues. When plaque remains on the teeth for extended periods, it can harden and transform into tartar or dental calculus. This buildup increases the risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
If left untreated, these conditions can progress to more severe forms of gum disease that can cause gum recession, bone loss, and even tooth loss. Moreover, poor oral health can also affect a person’s wellbeing, impairing a person’s appearance and speech, eroding their self-esteem, and leading to restricted participation at school, the workplace, home, and other social settings.
Conclusion
Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial for safeguarding your general health and welfare. So, remember to brush twice a day, floss daily, and visit your dentist regularly. After all, a healthy mouth is a gateway to a healthy body!