Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is the regime which you use to keep your mouth clean and healthy through brushing and flossing regularly. Having a decent level of oral hygiene can help protects against plaque, a sticky film composed of bacteria which collects on the surfaces of your teeth. A buildup of plaque can cause several dental problems including gum disease, tooth decay, tartar, periodontitis and gingivitis. Maintaining good oral hygiene also helps improve your quality of life as it protects against the embarrassment of crooked or missing teeth and halitosis (bad breath). Similarly, a decent level of oral hygiene means that your teeth will last longer and your eating and speech functions will be preserved without resorting to dental restorations.

Symptoms of insufficient dental hygiene

Patients who don't maintain a good level of oral hygiene can expect to develop several dental problems including;

Tooth Decay - Tooth decay occurs when the usually hard tissues on the outside of your teeth breakdown and form a hole or cavity. In severe cases this hole may be quite deep and can affect the blood vessels and nerve located in the pulp. If left untreated the nerve can be come infected and abscesses may form which cause excessive pain and swelling in the jaw area. In more severe cases abscesses can also cause fevers.

Gum Disease - Also known as periodontal disease, is a condition which inflames the tissues which surround a tooth and can often cause tooth loss. If left untreated, the bacteria responsible for the disease produce toxins which cause damage to the connective tissue and bone in your teeth.

Gingivitis - This condition is when the gum tissue (gingivia) of your mouth becomes severely inflamed. If Gingivitis remains untreated it can often lead to periodontal disease and several other problems. The main symptoms include itchy gums, halitosis (bad breath), sores in the mouth and gum recession.

Tartar - This is where the plaque hardens into a yellow or brown deposit of minerals. Due to its rough surface and crusty edge, teeth affected by tartar become ideal breeding grounds for further plaque. If Tartar occurs below the gumline it can often lead to gum disease.

A lack of oral hygiene is also associated with sensitive or bleeding gums, halitosis, staining or discolouring teeth and widening the gaps between teeth.

Maintaining good oral hygiene

If you maintain a decent level of oral hygiene, then you can protect against the development of plaque and prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Most dentists agree that you should brush your teeth at least twice a day for about two minutes.Many people don't even come close to brushing for the right amount of time so a common aid is to use a stopwatch which will help you get a feel for the correct brushing times. Make sure you use gentle and short strokes as being overzealous can often lead to a number of dental problems. It's important to pay particular attention to the back of your teeth which are often hard to reach, the gumline and especially around crowns, fillings other other types of dental restorations. There's four main stages to brushing; on the upper teeth cleaning the outer surfaces then the same on the bottom teeth and cleaning the inner surfaces of the upper teeth and the same again with the bottom. Next you'll need to carefully clean the chewing surfaces of teeth and it's also recommended you brush your tongue for about 30 seconds to combat halitosis (bad breath). There's literally millions of bacteria inhabiting every part of your mouth and feeding on the remainders of food debris left on your teeth. As they feed these bacteria produce an acid as a byproduct and this acid attacks tooth enamel which in turn creates cavities. To help protect against cavities, it's important to floss at least twice a day in order to remove the bacteria living between your teeth. In addition it's also advised to use antiseptic mouthwashes regularly after brushing, particularly if you're experiencing halitosis (bad breath).

It's also important to visit your dentist regularly, at least twice a year, so that your oral health can be monitored and any potential problems spotted well in advance. Many dentists offer a professional cleaning service with sealant application, fluoride treatments and scaling. If you have any dental problems it's important that you get them treated quickly as they can often cause other problems with your oral health.

You can help keep your oral health in tip top shape by maintaining a balanced diet including all the main food groups such as fruits, vegetables, milk, meat and fish. Some foods are worse for your teeth than others and those with high concentrations of sugar like ice cream can often cause tooth decay. Similarly, acidic drinks and citrus fruits can often eat away at your tooth enamel. Sticky foods often won't be washed away easily which can also cause problems. On the other hand, many foods can actively improve your oral hygiene. Fresh fruits and vegetables have been shown to increase the flow of your saliva and helps to naturally clean your teeth. Also fruits and vegetables which have a high volume of water like melons and celery can also have positive effects.