Articles

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Oral health plays a key role in systemic health. There have been strong evidence to prove that there is positive influence of oral disease on heart disease and diabetes. Oral health can be maintained by following simple and appropriate oral hygiene steps. 

Here are 5 steps to help improve oral health:

1. Brush twice a day (especially in the night).

2. Rinse your mouth after meals. 

3. Avoid sugary and sticky food.

4. Regular flossing (dental floss or water floss).

5. Self-examination (in front of a mirror or using a partner). 

1. Brushing your teeth.

A proper brushing technique is the first step to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. This simple practice can help keep away most tooth and gum related diseases. The golden rule of two to brush is, brush for two minutes, twice a day. Ask your dentist during your next visit to demonstrate the correct brushing technique. Brushing right is as important as brushing twice! Most patients avoid brushing in the night. 

2. Rinsing your mouth

Rinsing your mouth after a meal helps prevent plaque formation on the teeth and increases the pH in your mouth. A simple rinse can go a long way. 

3. Avoid sugary and sticky food

Sugary and sticky substances are the food for cavity causing bacteria. They get stuck in the grooves of teeth onto which these harmful bacteria attach themselves onto and cause cavities. Eating these food substances with meals is less harmful as the dietary fiber in the diet cleanses the tooth surface and prevents adhesion. 

4. Regular flossing

Brushing helps remove plaque from the outer surfaces of teeth but does not touch the plaque present in between the teeth. A dental floss is a sterile thread that is rolled between the fingers and passed between the teeth to clean it. Since this is technique sensitive, a simpler device called a water floss was introduced which makes use of a pressurised water jet to dislodged food particles and plaque between the teeth. 

5. Self examinations

Since dental care during the pandemic has become difficult it is important to be more self aware of one’s oral health. Standing in front of the mirror and using a torch light can help detect any cavities, calculus or any other abnormalities in the mouth. If examining the upper teeth becomes difficult, you can make use of a partner to take a closer look at the teeth of the upper jaw. 

These five steps are key to a good oral health during the pandemic. Regular visits to the dentist once every six months and regular cleanings are all you need to keep your teeth for a lifetime. It is important to take control of one’s own oral health and taking these small steps and making small lifestyle changes will help you be healthy overall.