Research reveals that a person’s oral health has something to do with his general well-being. We may not think about it, but oral health is intimately connected with our overall health. Thus, we need to know and practice proper oral hygiene if we would want to prevent serious health problems from occurring.
Our mouth can be full of bacteria, although most of them are harmless, which could mean regular brushing of our teeth is not enough to protect and maintain good health. A superior dental or oral care is important to maintaining healthy teeth, tongue and gums. It helps us avoid bad breath (halitosis), sores, tooth decay and other related oral problems. Take note that these problems may lead to other physical illnesses, and it could be grave.
There are a lot of things we need to know and learn about oral health. Having enough knowledge about our gums, tongue and teeth and their common problems will also help us in protecting and taking care of them.
Gums
The gingiva or gums significantly surround and seal the teeth and serve as effective barrier to deeper tissues. But don’t you know that gum diseases are associated to several serious physical illnesses? Gingivitis and periodontal disease, receding gums, stomatitis, sore, swollen and bleeding gums are only few of the problems people commonly encounter when proper oral care is not practiced.
What You Can Do?
- Visit your dentist regularly
- While brushing your teeth, include a gentle brushing or massaging of your gums
- Eat healthy foods, especially those rich in Vitamins A and C
- Avoid smoking
Tongue
Perhaps, you already have an idea on the basic function and purpose of a tongue. This muscular hydrostat on the floor of the mouth serves different purposes from food tasting to phonetic articulation to cleaning of the mouth. But it can be a perfect ground for bad bacteria to develop and cause illnesses. Leukoplakia, thrush, lichen planus, sores and fissures are few common problems of the tongue. Regular cleaning of the tongue is essential to maintaining its health. It is important to always clean and remove the unwanted coatings that could cause bad breath, tooth decay and gum problems.
What You Can Do?
- Visit your dentist regularly
- Brush your teeth regularly and scrape the unwanted coatings on your tongue
- Maintain a proper diet
- Avoid smoking
Teeth
At 18, an adult person could possess 32 teeth—16 teeth on the top and 16 teeth on the bottom. But the average mouth is made to hold only 28 teeth. This is the reason why most of the time, our “wisdom teeth” are problematic. Aside from that, the teeth usually have the many problems like tooth decay, discoloration, sensitivity, plaque, abscessed tooth, cavities, tartar, dry socket, pericoronitis, impacted wisdom teeth, and many more. These problems could cause bad breath, headache, facial trauma, and other serious issues.
What You Can Do?
- Visit your dentist regularly
- Brush your teeth regularly and properly
- Floss daily
- Use a mouthwash
- Choose your food wisely
There are many factors affecting the problems of the gums, tongue and teeth. Most of them can be prevented by good oral care, proper nutrition and regular visits to the doctors. Michael T. Dachowski, DMD, a distinguished oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Philadelphia, suggested that for impacted wisdom teeth, you need to entrust them to notable clinic and dental surgeons to ensure a safe and successful dental surgery. Only the experts know what to do with them and how to do it. Aside from that, they will help you avoid complications as well as assist you in the rehabilitation process.
Again, how you manage your oral health can greatly influence your overall health. Therefore, you have to know, learn and understand the value of proper and good oral care.
About the Author:
Brandon Peters is an entrepreneur, writer and a travel, gadgets, health, and outdoors enthusiast. He loves sharing his insights, knowledge and experience in different fields. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
