SAY CHEESE! : A brush up on dental care basics

Do you know? 60% of the people are attracted towards others by their smile alone. It is also the first feature that others notice about you. But grins are not simple as they seem. Maintaining good oral health is necessary to keep the smiles bright. Strong and bright teeth also communicate attention to personal hygiene and overall vitality.

Our mouth allows us to speak, smile, chew, taste, swallow and convey our emotions. Mouth also helps us to smell tasty food. Surprised? When chewing, the aroma released from the food reaches the receptor cells of the nasal cavity; through the throat. This process is called retronasal olfaction. It is said that the mouth is the gateway to one’s overall health. Not taking care of the mouth can lead to various health issues; from teeth and gum problems to diabetes and even heart disease. It is therefore necessary that we need to have proper oral hygiene.

What is Oral Health?

Oral health is much more than having healthy teeth. Mouth is the window into the health of the body. Mouth teems with bacteria, both good and bad. But as it is an entry point to the digestive and respiratory tracts, some of these bacteria can cause disease. Practicing regular oral care routines such as brushing, flossing, and rinsing will keep harmful bacteria under control.

Basics of Oral Health

If you think of your skincare routine as twice daily, chances are it’s flanked. Just like skin, our teeth also, require a good deal of daily maintenance to stay healthy. Dinosaurs grew new teeth when their last one was broken. Unfortunately, humans can’t and that is why we need to take care of our teeth in the right way.

Brushing, Flossing and Rinsing every day prevents bacteria in the mouth from wreaking havoc. Adopting a regular oral hygiene routine helps us to steer clear of bad breath (halitosis). Bad breath results in plaque which eventually leads to issues of the gums and tooth decay (cavities).

Ever heard of computers visiting a dentist? They have bluetooth of course! But having stained teeth is no fun, makes one feel self-conscious and affects their appearance. Using a mouthwash with active ingredients like lactoferrin will help to remove dark tooth stains while also protecting your gums and banishing bad bacteria.

Cleaning in between the teeth is just as important as brushing the parts you see. That is why it is always best to use a Mouthwash. Gives you fresh breath, natural brightening and plaque removal.

Dry mouth and bad breath go hand in hand. Choose products that are alcohol free to prevent your mouth from drying. Ingredients like lactoferrin in your oral care products are an added bonus, as this multi-functional milk protein; apart from fighting bacteria also provides moisturization.

Healthy mouth for a healthy body

Infections of the mouth are always linked with problems in the other parts of the body. When we have gum or tooth disease, bacteria from our mouth can get into our bloodstream. It produces a protein which thickens the blood, resulting in clots and prevents the heart from getting oxygen and nutrients. Issues of the mouth can also cause inflammation of the blood vessels and block blood supply to brain. Bacterial infections of the lung are caused by breathing in fine droplets through the nose and mouth into the lungs resulting in infections such as pneumonia or make any existing health conditions worse. Having a healthy teeth and healthy body are inter connected. People who stay fit and healthy are less likely to develop tooth infections. Not exercising, not keeping a normal body weight and unhealthy eating habits can also lead to gum disease.

Tooth fairy likes healthy teeth

Remember the childhood days when we kept our milk teeth under the pillow for the tooth fairy? While is seems that baby teeth is not of much importance as they will be gone before adolescence, its absolutely necessary that good oral hygiene is an essential part of a child’s life. Not only does this groundwork help to establish lifelong oral hygiene habits in a child, but it can also benefit the incoming adult teeth. If the baby teeth is kept naturally even, it will help the adult teeth to come out without weak enamel or crowding.

Good oral health can bestow us with many wonderful life changing benefits. A healthy smile can transform the look on our face, the positivity of our mind-set and more.

This article is intended to promote awareness on oral hygiene and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment.