If you are one of those people who are scared to death from going to the dental clinic, you should take your dental care seriously. This article will help you understand the importance of daily oral care and show you how to do it properly.
What is Dental Care?
Dental health care covers all things you do to keep your teeth and mouth healthy. Dental health care can be divided into two categories, preventive and restorative dental health care. Routine check-ups at the dentist’s is a type of preventive dental health care. During these routine visits, the dentists will examine to assess your overall dental health. They will check for oral cavities, tooth decays, gum diseases, etc. If untreated, these conditions can cause serious dental problems such as pain, tooth loss, and gum recession. Your dentist may also recommend oral hygiene products, and special diets to prevent possible conditions from occurring.
Restorative dental health care covers any procedure that treats dental issues including teeth and gum. These problems may be minor like cavity or major like periodontist. Here are some examples of restorative dental health care:
- Fillings
- Crowns and bridges
- Root canals
- Implants
- Gum reshaping
- Dentures and partials.
How Can We Do Daily Dental Care?
Here are some essential dental health care tips that all dentists recommend:
- Brush teeth twice daily: It is suggested to brush your teeth twice daily, morning and night. Make sure you brush for two minutes and use a soft toothbrush.
- Use a fluoride toothpaste: Dentists recommend fluoride toothpaste for all ages. Fluoride minimizes cavities and fights against tooth decay.
- Brush properly: Make sure you brush your teeth thoroughly from all sides but not roughly. Your toothbrush must face your gums at 45 degrees.
- Limit acidic drinks: Dentists recommended to stay away from acidic drinks or at least not drinking them often. It includes not only acidic drinks but also tea, coffee, and fruit juice.
- Floss daily: Floss your teeth at least once a day to prevent plaque and cavity. It also helps to get rid of food particles remaining from the day.
- Don’t use your teeth as scissor: Teeth are for only chewing and biting down food. If you use your teeth to cut something, it may cause an injury.
Why is Daily Dental Health Care Important?
Good oral health improves the way you smile, eat, and speak in daily life. Here are the most important reasons why dental health care is important:
- Have long-lasting healthy teeth: Taking good care of your dental health prevents possible dental and gum diseases such as teeth loss, cavity, and decay.
- Avoid oral diseases: Research shows that mouth bacteria can find its way to your bloodstream and infect your body. This can cause serious health problems including inflammation, respiratory infections, and even heart diseases.
- High self-esteem: Healthy and sparkling white teeth affect the way you smile. You feel confident when you laugh because you are not afraid to show your teeth. On the other hand, people with missing teeth often feel uncomfortable when they smile.
How Should Dental Care Be During Childhood?
Children start losing their baby teeth at the age of six and their permanent teeth start to come out. At the age of 13, they have all their permanent teeth. You should help your kid to make a habit of brushing their teeth twice a day regularly. You should take them to the dentist for regular check-ups so that your dentist can examine the child’s teeth alignment and jawbone health.
How Should Dental Care Be During Adulthood?
For an adult, the cavity-prone years remain in the past; however, regular check-up and daily oral care are still important. As you get older, you become more at risk for periodontal diseases and oral cancer. If you have had restorative work such as fillings and implants before, you should get them checked to make sure they are still in good shape.
A senior adult can be face to face with dental issues such as dry mouth and attrition. They need more specialized dental health care. They should visit a dentist for regular check-ups and follow the instructions the dentist suggests.
What Should be Taken into Consideration During Dental Care?
Though oral care has the same essential for any age group, every person is different and you may need certain instructions from your dentist. For a better dental health care, you should know:
- What kind of toothbrush and toothpaste you should use.
- How to floss your teeth properly.
- Whether you should use additional products such as mouth water.
- Whether you have sensitivity to hot or cold drinks.
What are the Common Mistakes Made During Dental Care?
The most common oral care mistakes include the following:
- Brushing your teeth roughly.
- Not brushing for two minutes.
- Not changing your toothbrush every three months.
- Not keeping your toothbrush properly.
- Using a medium or hard toothbrush.
- Not flossing your teeth.
- Not brushing your tongue.
- Using a fluoride-free toothpaste.
- Ignoring signs of dental issues.
- Not going to regular dental check-ups.
