Dental Care Basics

01

May

Good dental hygiene keeps your teeth healthy and prevents dental issues like cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss. It is not just about having a beautiful smile; dental care directly impacts your bodily health.

Poor dental hygiene could cause health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections. Therefore, caring for your teeth and gums is crucial to leading a healthy life. Below, you learn dental care basics that go a long way toward helping you prevent dental and overall health issues.

What is "Basic Dental Care"?

Primary dental care involves caring for your teeth and gums to maintain oral health. The care includes brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, visiting the dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings, eating a healthy diet low in sugar and rich in calcium, avoiding tobacco products, and limiting alcohol consumption.

Why Is Basic Dental Care Important?

While basic dental care helps maintain good oral hygiene, it also links to bodily health. Below are reasons wh dental care is essential:

• Preventing Tooth Decay

Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily. These routines help prevent tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when bacteria in your mouth produce acids that eat away at the enamel on your teeth. The acid could cause cavities and tooth loss if you do not brush your teeth.

• Preventing Gum/ Periodontal Disease

Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth. Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is caused by plaque buildup on the teeth and gums. However, you can help prevent plaque buildup by brushing and flossing regularly and reducing your risk of developing gum disease.

• Shortens Visits At The Dental Clinics

While dental experts recommend observing good oral hygiene and following basic dental care practices, you spend less time and money at the dental clinic for treatments like fillings, root canals, and extractions.

• Saves You Money

Regular dental check-ups and cleanings are essential for maintaining good oral health. By taking good care of your teeth at home, you can help shorten your visits to the dentist.

• Prevents Bad Breath

Bad breath, or halitosis, can be caused by poor oral hygiene and dental issues like gum disease. Basic dental care, including regular brushing and flossing, can help prevent bad breath.

• Keeps The Teeth White

Basic dental care practices help keep your teeth white and bright by removing stains and preventing discoloration.

• Improves Overall Health

Good oral health is linked to good overall health. So taking care of your teeth and gums promotes good health. It also reduces the risk of developing severe health conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or respiratory infections.

What Conditions Are Connected to Oral Health?

Several conditions are linked to oral health. These include:

Endocarditis

Endocarditis affects the inner wall of your heart chambers and valves. The condition happens when bacteria and pathogens from other body parts swim through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in your heart. Good oral hygiene can help prevent endocarditis by reducing the bacteria levels in the mouth.

Cardiovascular Disease

Scientific research states that oral bacteria and inflammation linked to periodontitis could contribute to some conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. The bacteria that cause periodontosis can enter the bloodstream and contribute to plaque formation in the arteries. The build-up of plaque increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Pregnancy/ Birth Complications

Gum disease could contribute to premature birth, preeclampsia, and low-weight infants. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can increase the risk of gum disease, making it essential to maintain good oral hygiene.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a severe respiratory infection that bacteria in the mouth can cause. Bacteria in your mouth can travel into your lungs and trigger pneumonia, among other respiratory complications. Good oral hygiene, including regular dental check-ups, can help prevent pneumonia by killing harmful bacteria in the mouth.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can affect any part of your mouth, including the lips, tongue, or cheeks. Common risk factors are tobacco and heavy alcohol use. Regular dental check-ups can help detect oral cancer in its early stages, when it is more treatable.

Cavities

Cavities are permanently damaged areas on the hard surface of your teeth that develop into tiny openings or holes. These holes are caused by many factors, including bacteria in your mouth, frequent snacking, and not brushing and flossing regularly. Cavities can also contribute to other health problems, for example, headaches and infections.

In addition to oral health affecting your overall health, certain conditions can also affect it. These complications include:

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease can affect your ability to perform daily tasks such as brushing and flossing your teeth. The difficulty could increase the risk of developing oral health problems such as gum disease and tooth decay.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones and can lead to bone loss in the jaw. Jaw bone loss can cause teeth to become loose and eventually fall out.

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS is a virus that weakens the immune system, making it more difficult for the body to fight infections. The deficiency of immunity in your body increases the risk of developing oral health problems like gum disease. If you are living with HIV/AIDS, you want to maintain good oral hygiene habits and see a dentist regularly.

Diabetes

Diabetes reduces the body’s immunity to infection, putting your gums and jaws at risk. Periodontal disease happens to be more severe and frequent among diabetes patients. Studies show that patients with periodontal disease have more difficulty controlling their blood sugar levels.

Adding to dental care basics, you want to notify your dentist about any medications you take, as some can affect your oral health. For example, certain medications can cause dry mouth, which increases your risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease.

Dental Care Practices

Several ways you can protect your oral health are:

Brushing Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth twice daily with a soft-bristled brush is recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA). The size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth, allowing you to reach all areas easily.

• Proper Brushing Techniques

According to the ADA, proper brushing techniques include:

1. Using the right size: The appropriate size and shape of your brush is the one that fits your mouth. The right brush size allows you to reach all areas easily.
2. Brushing at an appropriate angle: When brushing your teeth, dental experts recommend placing your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.
3. Brush all sides: Do not leave any part untouched. Brush the teeth' outer surfaces, inner surfaces, and chewing surfaces.
4. Short strokes: Gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes.
5. Avoid overbrushing: If you brush for too long, you can cause your gums to recede and damage tooth enamel.
6. Do not turbocharge: Use gentle pressure when brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush to reduce the risk of gingival injury.

Dentists recommend replacing your toothbrush every three or four months if the bristles become visibly worn or you have been sick. A worn toothbrush cannot properly clean your teeth. The American Dental Association recommends replacing the brush head every three to four months if you use an electric toothbrush.

In addition to replacing your toothbrush regularly, you should store it in a clean, dry place and away from other toothbrushes to avoid cross-contamination.

Cleaning The Tongue

In addition to brushing your teeth, cleaning your tongue is another step to protect your oral health. If not cleaned, your tongue can harbor bacteria and food particles, resulting in bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease.

Below are reasons why you should clean your tongue:

• Reduces Bad Breath: Bacteria on the tongue produce volatile sulfur compounds. These elements cause bad breath. So cleaning your tongue removes these bacteria and reduces bad breath.
• Prevents Tooth Decay: Bacteria in your tongue can also contribute to tooth decay. You can remove these bacteria and help protect your teeth through tongue brushing.
• Improves Overall Oral Health: Cleaning your tongue prevents gum disease and other oral health problems. It can also enhance your sense of taste by removing bacteria that can dull your taste buds.

You can use a tongue scraper or the bristles of your toothbrush to clean your tongue. Gently scrape or brush your tongue from back to front, being careful not to apply too much pressure or cause discomfort. Adding tongue cleaning to your oral hygiene routine can help protect your oral health and keep your breath fresh.

Using Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride is an essential mineral for your teeth. Toothpaste manufacturers add the mineral because it can help prevent cavities, strengthen weakened enamel, promote the reversal of early tooth decay, kill harmful oral bacteria, and slow the loss of minerals from tooth enamel. Fluoride is also contained in many public water supplies. Fluoride can also reduce plaque, remove tartar, and clean and protect teeth.

The ADA has long supported using fluoride as a safe and effective way of preventing tooth decay in both children and adults. The ADA recommends that children under three years old use a tiny smear of toothpaste, while children between the ages of three and six use a pea-sized amount.

Fluoride also helps repair the early stages of tooth decay by reversing the damage already done. Since many toothpaste brands claim to contain the recommended percentage of fluoride, you want to stick with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste as part of your daily oral hygiene routine.

When shopping for toothpaste, look for the ADA seal of approval on the packaging. The seal of approval indicates that the toothpaste has been tested and found to be safe and effective for maintaining oral health.

Using Mouthwash

Mouthwash can help freshen your breath, kill bacteria, and prevent gum disease and tooth decay. There are different types of mouthwash available, including cosmetic and therapeutic mouthwashes. Cosmetic mouthwashes are primarily used to freshen breath and provide a temporary, pleasant taste.

Therapeutic mouthwashes contain active ingredients that help control or reduce conditions like bad breath, gingivitis, plaque, and tooth decay. The active ingredients found in therapeutic mouthwashes include the following:

• Peroxide: This has a whitening effect on teeth surfaces.
• Fluoride: As mentioned above, fluoride keeps the enamel strong and reduces the risk of dental cavities.
• Essential oils: Essential oils can help freshen breath and control plaque buildup on teeth surfaces.
• Chlorhexidine: Controls gingivitis and prevents plaque buildup.
• Cetylpyridinium chloride: This is added to help fight against bacteria that cause bad breath.

An ADA-approved therapeutic mouthwash is advisable as part of your daily oral hygiene routine. While mouthwash can be a helpful addition to your oral hygiene routine, don't use it as a substitute for brushing and flossing. Mouthwash can help kill bacteria and freshen breath, but it cannot remove plaque and food particles from between teeth like brushing and flossing can.

Treat Flossing As Important As Brushing

Flossing your teeth is a vital part of your dental health routine. In addition to removing food and debris from between your teeth, regular flossing has several other benefits. Flossing reduces your risk of tooth decay and gum disease by removing food particles and preventing plaque from building up.

If you find it challenging to use traditional dental floss, other options are available, such as interdental brushes or water flossers. Below are tips for flossing your teeth:

• Use a gentle sawing motion to guide the floss between your teeth.
• Curve the floss around each tooth in a C shape.
• Gently move the floss up and down against each tooth.
• Also, floss behind your back teeth.

Remember that using an effective method is not just about using dental floss but about adequately cleaning the sides of your teeth and the area between them daily.

Eating a Balanced Diet

Eating a balanced diet incorporates vital nutrients that help maintain good oral health. For example, foods rich in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus nourish your teeth and gums. These nutrients are known to strengthen the enamel and bones, which can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Because of their nutritional and health benefits, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, examples of foods for better oral health are those rich in calcium and folic acid. Fruits like apples and raw vegetables, such as carrots, and celery, help clean plaque stuck on teeth and freshen your breath.

Milk and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt are also great for strong teeth and gums as they are packed with bone-fortifying calcium. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as canned light tuna, can also be beneficial.

Leafy greens such as romaine lettuce and spinach that contain folate can strengthen enamel, guard against gum disease, and reduce gum inflammation. At the same time, fish like wild salmon or tuna, rich in minerals and essential vitamins like vitamin D, are crucial to any teeth-friendly diet.

Nuts are rich in protein and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, and calcium, which help promote healthy teeth and bones. Lean proteins such as chicken, fish, and eggs contain phosphorus, which promotes strong teeth.

Scheduling Regular Dental Checkups

Even if you brush, floss, and rinse regularly, it is still possible to miss certain problem areas. A trained dental professional can spot and treat these areas before they worsen. Regular dental checkups also help prevent more serious dental issues from arising. For example, if you have a small cavity, a dentist can fill it before it results in a more extensive problem.

Most dentists recommend visiting them at least twice yearly, but this frequency depends on your needs. For example, patients with a history of dental problems or those with certain medical conditions need to visit the dentist more frequently.

The bottom line is that regular dental checkups are essential to maintaining good oral health and preventing serious dental problems. So, make sure to schedule your dental appointments as your dentist recommends.

Avoiding Tobacco Use

Using tobacco products, including cigarettes and chewing tobacco, can cause various oral health problems, such as gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer. In addition to dental issues, tobacco use can lead to other serious health problems, such as lung cancer and heart disease. Quitting can save oral and overall health if you currently use tobacco products.

Limiting Sugary Food and Beverages

Sugar can contribute to tooth decay by providing a food source for bacteria that produce enamel-corroding acid. An eroded enamel exposes your teeth to bacteria and leads to cavities. One way to limit sugar intake is to avoid soda and other sugary drinks. If you indulge in a sugary snack, brush your teeth afterward or rinse your mouth with water to help wash away the sugar and acid.

The ADA has a campaign called “Sip All Day, Get Decay,” highlighting the negative impact of frequent consumption of sugary drinks on oral health. By reducing your sugar intake, you will not only be protecting your teeth but also will be promoting better overall health.

When to See the Dentist

In addition to scheduling regular dental checkups, you should know when to visit a dental clinic for emergency dental care. Some cases that could require you to seek emergency dental care include the following:

• Tooth pain or sensitivity.
• Bleeding or swollen gums.
• Broken or chipped teeth.
• Loose teeth.
• Mouth sores.

In addition, certain situations require immediate emergency dental care, such as:

• A knocked-out tooth.
• Severe toothache.
• A broken jaw.

If you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate dental care. Delaying treatment can lead to more severe problems and may result in the need for more extensive and costly treatment.

Find a Whittier Dental Clinic Near Me

Taking care of your dental health promotes your oral and overall well-being. You can prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues by learning and practicing basic dental care habits such as brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash. Also, eating a balanced diet and avoiding tobacco and sugary foods go a long way toward preventing the onset of dental complications.

Besides observing dental care basics, you should schedule regular dental checkups to catch any potential issues early on. At The Whittier Dentist, we treat various dental problems and offer advice on proper oral health care. Our experienced dental professionals are dedicated to providing high-quality care in a comfortable and welcoming environment. If you want a dental clinic in Whittier, CA, call us at 562-632-1223.