Oral diseases cause pain and discomfort in their early stages; but they can even cause disfigurement and death. It is critical therefore to take steps to prevent oral diseases before they arise. This article will explore some tips that you can use to help prevent dental problems from arising.
What is Oral Health?
According to the World Health Organization, oral health is a state in which there is no pain. No pathologies that affect the functions of this area. How to bite, chew, smile and talk; as well as preserve their psychosocial well-being.
Mouth diseases are the most common noncommunicable diseases, affecting more than half of the world’s population. Dental treatment represents an average of 5% of health expenditure in countries with a high income.
Meanwhile, in those with low incomes, cases with these conditions increase due to insufficient exposure to fluoride and poor medical attention. For WHO, oral health is an indicator of health, well-being and quality of life. All of these conditions are preventable or treatable in their early stages.
Prevention starts from childhood, however, the presence of caries in school age is still high. Between 60 and 90% of children at this stage have cavities.
How Can I Prevent Oral Problems?
To avoid the appearance of problems in the teeth you can follow some practical tips. Good habits and regular checkups are pillars to prevent oral diseases and at other levels of the body.
Follow a Healthy Diet
Likewise, the promotion of a healthy diet is essential. This is essential for good oral health because healthy foods provide vitamins and minerals to strengthen gums and teeth.
Enough consumption of fruits and vegetables creates a protective function in the prevention of oral cancer. The decrease in tobacco and alcohol consumption reduces the risk of tooth loss.
Try to include in the diet to prevent dental problems calcium and vitamin D, the second serves to increase the absorption of the first. In this way you get the necessary nutrients to strengthen the teeth and tissues of healthy gums. A great source of calcium is tofu, orange juice and green vegetables.
Reduce Sugar Levels
Reducing sugar serves to protect your teeth from tooth decay, premature loss and other related conditions.
Consider that the consumption of acidic foods erodes the enamel and demineralize them. Don’t eat between meals, but if you can’t help it, chew sugarless gum, drink water or eat some cheese. This helps the teeth resume their normal acid level.
Do not forget that chewing sugarless gum stimulates the salivary glands. Saliva neutralizes the acid in food.
Avoid sweets, candies, artificial juices, soda and energy drinks. It also lowers the consumption of junk food and regularly visits the dentist to detect cavities in time.
The worst enemies of the teeth are the sticky sweets that adhere to the piece, also the nutshells. Cereal residues and starchy foods such as popcorn convert bacteria into sugars very quickly. Be careful with these.
Brush Your Teeth Correctly
Another of the tips to prevent dental problems is to brush your teeth well at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, immediately after eating. In addition to supplementing your daily flossing and the use of fluoride mouthwash.
The oral hygiene is another factor that affects the prevention of dental diseases. The application of the correct brushing technique is the first step for teeth cleaning. The indicated thing is to brush the visible faces of the tooth with an extra soft brush. Change it every three to four months.
The use of a mouthwash after brushing is recommended, so we avoid food debris. Since the brush only cleans 60% of the surface.
Limiting Bottle Use for Children
To take care that children do not get cavities, the frequency of bottle use should be lowered, especially at bedtime. Its use leaves traces of food in the mouth. If you have more than one year replace it with cups with valves.
Also, get him used to cleaning before his teeth sprout. Clean the gums with a soft, thin cloth dampened with water.
The constant and low use of fluoride in the oral cavity should be maintained. This is obtained through drinking water, salt, milk and fluoridated dentifrices that strengthen tooth enamel.
Questions? Contact Dr. Brian Gurinsky
If you have any additional questions about the impact that your gums have on your oral health or are looking to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gurinsky, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly staff today!
We offer periodontal services in two convenient locations: One periodontal office in Denver, CO and one periodontal office in Centennial, CO.