Oral health is essentially linked with overall health of the body. Digestion starts from the mouth and hence the need to maintain healthy teeth is paramount. Taking care of teeth and your mouth can prevent major problems as you get older. A healthy mouth is more important than we think it to be. We use our mouth to do almost everything in life- to talk, eat, smile, laugh and much more. Poor oral health can adversely affect each of these things. Oral hygiene and care is an essential part of the human body health as the mouth is the beginning of the major process of digestion in the human body. The best dental surgeon in Kolkata, here enlists the various aspects that we must keep in mind to keep our oral hygiene in place.
Failing to take care of mouth and oral health can lead to various issues like:
- Gum disease: Plaque on our teeth cause gum disease. It is an infection of the supporting tissue of the teeth. Gum disease cause teeth to become loose over time. According to several studies, gum disease can also lead to heart related issues.
- Cavities: Tooth decay causes cavity in the mouth. Not cleaning and brushing the teeth regularly can cause teeth to decay. Cleaning the teeth properly helps to effectively get rid of leftover food from them. When left untreated, cavities cause tooth pain and severe infection may even lead to tooth loss.
- Oral cancer: This is the most dangerous effect on your overall health and can even be fatal. Consuming alcohol, smoking, chewing tobacco can cause oral cancer. Maintaining oral hygiene reduces the risk of getting affected by cancer.
- Poor self-esteem: Unclean teeth often lead to bad breath. It is a source of embarrassment for an individual and brings down one’s confidence. Bad breath can make you feel uneasy at school, college, workplace or any social gathering. Neglecting oral health may even lead to tooth loss, which can make you smile less. All these reasons combined together damages one’s self esteem and self image.
Taking effective care of mouth and teeth
- Teeth and gums are primarily composed of calcium. It is necessary to include proper amount of calcium in your diet. Eating such foods like soybeans, cheese, yogurt helps to keep the teeth healthy and strong.
- Lack of Vitamin C in diet can cause several dental problems. These problems include bleeding gums and tooth loss. The most helpful way to include Vitamin C in your diet is to eat salads containing citrus fruits.
- If it becomes a problem to floss regularly, consuming crunchy and hard foods like apples and carrots can clean the teeth naturally.
- Make sure to visit your dentist at least once every six months. Bacteria and plaque hides in places that may not be possible to notice in the mirror.
- Use a mouthwash or water to clean your mouth after every meal. This habit kills the germs and reduces the problem of bad breath.
- Saliva is the most important component that fights bacteria inside the mouth. It is important to consume food that promotes saliva inside the mouth. Drinking water increases the production of saliva inside the mouth. Drinking lots of water is a beneficial way to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Water also helps to cleanse oral cavity.
- Brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day should be a part of your daily routine. It also aids in losing weight by eliminating mid-night snacking.