The term "dental hygiene" broadly means everything from brushing and flossing correctly to preventing staining when you eat and drink, as well as having a professional cleaning by a dental hygienist.
The Medical Implications of Oral Hygiene
Most people associate dentistry with cavities (aka dental caries) because it is second only to the more common cold as a disease among Americans, which from childhood we have all had. But the serious medical implications of inadequate oral hygiene habits are not generally appreciated.
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums due to not brushing and flossing effectively that leaves food and drink particles, which attract bacteria that form a sticky film around these known as plaque. If this is not cleaned off where the gums meet the teeth it can turn into the hardened form, tartar, which only a hygienist can remove with special tools, techniques, and the ability to reach hard-to-brush places.
Soon, the first stage of the infection, gingivitis, will cause gums to swell, turn red, and start to bleed, but this will not be painful.
The second stage is periodontitis, as the gums pull away their support from the teeth and you may now feel the pain of the advancing infection. Untreated, this can end with your teeth falling out or needing to be extracted and replaced by either a dental implant or a bridge (which holds an artificial tooth over the gap). These will stop the process of misalignment that would otherwise occur, as the mouth naturally tries to fill the space where the tooth was by having the neighboring teeth lean towards it. This process results in other teeth becoming loose and loss of bone underneath. Dentures cannot stop this, which is why they have to be adjusted every few years to fit the changing jawbone.
Even worse, inadequate dental hygiene raises significant risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's.
Top Tips for Better Dental Hygiene:
- Brush for two minutes after breakfast (which not only cleans off the food, but the bacteria that accumulate in the mouth overnight). Brush from the gum line to the tip of the tooth on both sides (and tops of teeth you chew with), using a soft bristle or electric brush. Repeat after your last snack at night, when you also floss (move the string each time to avoid contaminating the gums, holding the floss against the side of each tooth and pulling it up).
- Consider adding a water flosser to your oral routine, a small bristle brush to clean tight places, a dentist-grade mouthwash, or a periodontal-level toothpaste.
- Have your dental hygienist show you the proper techniques if you continue to have cavities and gum infections. You should have her do a professional cleaning at least twice a year, when she may decide to inject an antibacterial solution in infected gum pockets.
- You should also have your dentist do a physical exam twice a year and take a digital x-ray (which involves minimal radiation) once a year, in order to be sure an infection has not entered the jawbone (if you, you may need a bone graft before you can have dental implants).
- Eat more vegetables and whole foods, less sugar (substitute with xylitol, which fights oral bacteria) and fewer refined carbohydrates, like white flour, pasta, and rice (which turn into sugar). Complex carbs like seeds, nuts, whole grains, beans, and peas are healthy.
- Reduce or quit smoking, drink less red wine, coffee, black tea, and colored sodas (or drink through a straw or swish water around your mouth afterwards to minimize staining). Also be aware that dark foods like tomatoes, blueberries, and chocolate can also discolor teeth.
- Chew sugar-free gum (or sweetened with xylitol), which stimulates saliva that fights bacteria.
If you have not had your hygienist clean your teeth in the past six months or a recent full dental exam, call today to schedule an appointment.
