Are you concerned with your health? Do you eat healthy and work out regularly? What about your oral health? Oral health is often overlooked by people but it is one of the most important aspects of health. While you may think that brushing your teeth once or twice a day is enough to maintain good oral health, you are mistaken. Without regular flossing, brushing, and regular visits to the dentist, you are putting your oral health at risk.
Below are some common oral diseases and conditions that people suffer from. Read on to find out more about these diseases and how you can treat and prevent them.
Gingivitis
We hear about gingivitis all the time on commercials for dental products. But do you really know what it is? It’s the most common form of periodontal disease and its cause is quite simple: improper oral hygiene that leads to a build up of plaque. When there’s a build up of plaque, your body’s immune system reacts, resulting in inflamed gums. Other factors that cause gingivitis include smoking, diabetes, genetics, and inadequate nutrition.
If you are worried that you might be suffering from gingivitis, you probably are – the symptoms include red inflamed gums that bleed easily when you are brushing your teeth or flossing.
Gum disease, a broader term that includes gingivitis, can progress in several stages. First, you may only notice that your gums are sore or bleed sometimes when you floss. More advanced symptoms may include loose teeth or shifting teeth. Other symptoms can include bad breath and a sour taste in your mouth. Without proper care, you can advance through the early stages and find out later on that you have an increased risk of losing your teeth altogether.
Halitosis
Nearly everyone has heard of this type of oral disease because it’s all about bad breath, a common problem for lots of people. No one wants to be known for having bad breath because it’s embarrassing. Most situations of bad breath are caused by the breakdown of proteins in the mouth. However, there are other causes of bad breath as well, including dental decay, gum disease and bacterial growth on the tongue.
If you suffer from bad breath a lot, then you should visit a dentist to treat the problem. Before you visit the dentist though, you can start to improve your oral health and breath by flossing and brushing your teeth regularly. You should also remember to brush your tongue, an area that can breed the growth of bacteria and cause bad breath.
Your dentist might find that you are suffering from dental decay as well. Treating rotten teeth will improve your overall oral health and your bad breath situation. Your dentist may also recommend other things such as rinsing with mouthwash before bed or using a special tongue brusher that will allow you to get right to the back of your tongue. Remember to brush after each meal and to drink plenty of water as well which will help to rinse out your mouth and keep it clean.
Dry Mouth
Having a dry mouth doesn’t sound very serious, does it? Well, if you find your mouth is always dry and you can’t spare any saliva to even lick an envelope, then you are likely suffering from having a dry mouth. And a dry mouth can cause oral health problems, including bad breath. Saliva production is an important part of a healthy human’s life. If you think that you aren’t producing a normal amount of saliva, then you should visit a doctor or a dentist to find out more.
Tooth Decay
Lots of people suffer from tooth decay which is caused by the build up of plaque. Plaque builds up when you fail to brush and floss your teeth regularly. Plus, if your diet consists of a lot of sugary foods and starches, this will result in a greater build up of plaque too. Eating healthy, maintaining excellent oral health, and drinking lots of fluids such as water will decrease the opportunity for plaque to grow and cause tooth decay.
Preventing Oral Health Problems
The prevention of oral health problems is actually quite simple and very effective. Here are some tips for improving your oral health and preventing oral conditions from developing:
- Don’t smoke – Tobacco is one of the major causes of oral health diseases including gum disease and oral cancer. Chewing tobacco also increases the risk of tooth decay problems.
- Drink moderately – When it comes to alcohol, you should limit your intake. Not only can alcohol increase your risk of oral cancers, it can also damage the health of your teeth, especially when combined with tobacco use.
- Eat well – Avoid sugars and make sure you eat your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. They help increase the flow of saliva to your mouth which is important in maintaining a healthy mouth.
- Visit your dentist – If your health plan affords it, visit your dentist twice a year for a cleaning and check up. Or, at the very least, visit your dentist once a year for the same routine cleaning. Not only will they clean your teeth, but they will point out any problem areas that might cause you problems in the near future.
Conclusion
The moral of this article is that oral health is very important. People spend lots of time working out and eating healthy but when it comes to taking care of their mouths, they think that a quick brushing in the morning will suffice. Just like the rest of our bodies, our mouths require special attention so make sure you take care to prevent oral diseases from afflicting you.