How Dental Health Affects Your Well-being

Irrespective of what age one may be, dental health is an important factor for keeping the oral cavity clean. To maintain good oral cavity it is important to keep your teeth clean. Keeping your gums clean will keep you away from various gum diseases, and keeping your teeth clean will keep cavities at bay. Also, proper care is also important for maintaining one's overall well-being.

Daily dental care such as brushing the teeth properly and flossing them generally helps in preventing dental problems. Avoid smoking and drinking, develop a healthy lifestyle, use proper equipment, and keep your toothbrush clean. These habits along help in keeping dental problems away. Also, change your toothbrush every three to four month.

Apart from visiting the dentist regularly, there are some simple practices that we can incorporate in our daily lives which can help reduce the chances of cavities in the teeth and gum disease. These are:

• Brush your teeth twice a day, and floss everyday
• Use a toothpaste which contains fluoride
• Use a mouth rinse containing fluoride
• Avoid snacking between meals, and maintain a well-balanced diet
• Rinse your mouth thoroughly after meals

In order to maintain dental health one needs to use the correct way of brushing and flossing the teeth:

• Use a soft-bristle toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste. Gently brush the teeth in front, behind, and on the top for the molars.

• Use short back and forth movements and small circular movements.
• Brush gently and carefully along the line of the gum.
• Also, brush your tongue gently in order to keep it clean.

One needs to use a dental floss in order to clean the spaces between the teeth. Flossing removes the food particles trapped between teeth, and plaque that cannot be accessed with a toothbrush. It is important to rinse your mouth after flossing.

In case of bleeding of the gums, or pain while flossing visit a dentist to find out the correct way to floss. A floss holder may be useful if one finds flossing difficult.

Some of the common dental problems are:

Tooth Cavities or Decay: The outer coating of teeth, known as enamel, is hard, and gets covered with a thin layer of bacteria everyday. Eventually, this results in holes in the enamel, which are known as cavities or caries. Brushing as well as flossing daily can prevent tooth decay.

A fluoride toothpaste can also be useful in preventing tooth cavities. One should consult a dentist if he/she discovers cavities.

Dental Plaque and Tartar: Dental plaque is a thin film of bacteria and mucus that get deposited on the teeth. Eventually, they lead to the development of tooth decay and gum disease. If it is not removed every day, it hardens and forms tartar, which is also known as calculus.

Daily brushing and flossing helps prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar. However, once tartar has been formed, only the dentist can remove it.

Gum Diseases: Gum diseases occur due to plaque buildup along the lining of the gum, as well as under the lining of the gum. These lead to infections, which cause the gums to become swollen, painful, and tender. It may cause bleeding in some cases. When the gums bleed, it is known as gingivitis.

Daily brushing and flossing prevent gum diseases. If the condition worsens, or in case of other diseases of the gums, a dentist will have to treat the condition. If left untreated, it can ruin the gums, the bones, and the rest of the tissues around the teeth. Eventually, it may even lead to teeth removal.

Some of the other dental problems are bad breath or halitosis, and tooth sensitivity. Each of which can be prevented by good dental health practices.