We often forget that oral health is not just limited to our mouth but can also have a bad effect on our overall mental and physical health. Any pain or sensitivity in the oral cavity can affect our ability to consume food, which can cause malnutrition if left unchecked for a prolonged time. The infection of the oral cavity can also spread to other organs of the body.
Thus, maintaining good oral hygiene is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. You must appear for your yearly visit to the dentist in Columbia, SC to prevent any serious complications that can arise due to tooth decay or other serious diseases of the oral cavity such as oral cancer. Dr. Joel E Johnson and his team in South Carolina provide the latest dental treatment for all forms of dental issues and provide excellent quality preventive dental measures as well.
Tooth loss is just one part of improperly maintained oral hygiene. Other more serious consequences that many are unaware of could be:
- Diabetes
- Heart diseases
- Arthritis, and even
- Stroke
Lack of good oral hygiene practices can also affect your smile and the odor of your breath, which can indirectly be detrimental to your mental health.
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Good oral hygiene practices to follow
To prevent tooth decay or periodontal diseases from occurring in the first place, you must make the following practices a part of your daily routine:
- You must brush for a minimum of 2 minutes twice every day.
- Replace your tooth brushed every 3-4 months.
- Use fluoridated toothpaste as fluoride strengthens the tooth structures.
- Brushing is not always sufficient to clean the interdental spaces. This is why it is highly recommended that you floss the teeth at least once every day.
- Following a good brushing technique is also essential to get rid of all the plaque accumulation on tooth surfaces.
- A diet rich in fibers, vitamin C, antioxidants, and polyphenols can promote good oral health.
- On the other hand, eating too much sugar-rich food, drinking sodas, and chewing on sticky candies can quickly deteriorate oral health.
- Some conditions can cause dry mouth also called xerostomia. Check with your dentist located in Columbia, SC to evaluate and treat dry mouth.
- Quit your smoking and tobacco chewing habits that increase your risk of developing oral cancer.
- You can also use mouthwash to rinse your oral cavity after meals to get rid of any food that remains from the tooth surface.
Never miss your dental appointments, ask your dentist to display proper tooth brushing technique, and get treated at the first sign of tooth decay to prevent the infection from spreading to adjacent tooth surfaces.