Itay: Smile your way to good health

Friday, January 13, 2012

PROPER oral care is critical to one’s overall health. It is said that the healthier your teeth are, the happier you look. That is because behind every beautiful smile is a healthy set of teeth and a breath of confidence.

Achieving a perfect smile is possible. Developing proper oral hygiene habits at an early age is the key to achieving the “Mona Liza-look” smile. When the teeth, gums, tongue, palate, cheeks and other structures in the oral cavity are disease-free, a great feeling of well-being is experienced.

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Massive plaque and calcular deposits better known as tartar build-up are the main causes of dental caries or tooth cavity and periodontal disease which is the advance state of gum disease. In most cases, unless the decayed tooth structure deepens with intermittent pains experienced, the person may not be aware of it.

The earliest sign of enamel decay is the appearance of a chalk-white spot on the surface of the tooth indicating an area of demineralization. Eventually, the “cavitation” process follows. In highly progressed cases, infection sets in which has been linked to a number of systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease like stroke and heart attack, bacterial pneumonia, among others.

People with periodontal disease will almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart ailments due to increased exposure to certain harmful bacteria which can migrate from the oral cavity, enter the bloodstream and eventually attach to fatty acids in the blood vessels of the heart.

Improving gingival health has a great impact in reducing periodontal disease. One basic way is proper tooth brushing technique. Although a lot of people think that plain and simple brushing will do the trick -- think again.

The truth is, only about 25 percent is being cleaned as the teeth make up only about 25 percent of the entire oral cavity. That leaves about 75 percent still germ-infested even after brushing. The fact remains that the mouth contains a wide variety of bacteria.

Effective brushing depends on other factors such as toothbrush design, brushing technique, as well as the frequency of use which should at least be twice-a-day with a 2-3 minute duration of brushing the teeth and the tongue. The replacement of the toothbrush is likewise recommended every three months or as soon as the bristles become frayed.

In relation with proper tooth brushing, flossing is necessary to remove food debris trapped in between the teeth and at the gum line. Preventive aids such as topical fluoride application and/or water fluoridation may help decrease the incidence of tooth cavity formation. Fluoride, at recommended level, makes enamel more resistant and less soluble to acids produced by bacterial carbohydrate degradation in the oral cavity.

Even basic habits such as eating a well-balanced diet, avoiding starchy/sugary foods and minimizing acidic beverage intake could go a long way towards achieving healthy oral environment.

Good oral care, proper diet and a regular twice-a-year visit to our dentist guarantees our teeth to last a lifetime. Comments may be directed to puboff@slu.edu.ph