Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping your mouth clean and healthy by brushing your teeth and flossing to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
The purpose of oral hygiene is to prevent the formation of plaque, sticky bacteria and food formed on the teeth. Plaque adheres to the gaps and cracks in the teeth, producing acid, which, when not often removed, slowly devours or rots the protective enamel surface of the teeth, creating pores [voids]. Plaque can also irritate the gums, causing gum disease [periodontal disease] and tooth loss. Toothbrushes and floss remove plaque from the teeth, and antiseptic mouthwash kills some bacteria that help to form plaque. Fluoride toothpaste, drinking water or dental treatment - by combining with enamel to make it stronger, it also helps protect teeth. In addition to this daily oral care, regular visits to the dentist can also promote oral health. Preventive services that he or she can perform include fluoride treatment, sealant application and scaling [scraping hardened plaque, called tartar]. Dentists can also perform diagnostic services such as X-ray imaging and oral cancer screening as well as treatment services such as fillers, crowns and bridges.
Maintaining oral hygiene should be a lifelong habit. The baby's gums and later teeth should be wiped clean with a damp cloth or a soft toothbrush. However, since too much fluoride may be toxic to infants, only very small amounts of hexahydrate [pea size] toothpaste should be used.
Adults with partial or complete dentures should also maintain good oral hygiene. Bridges and dentures must be kept clean to prevent gum disease. The dentist should re-adjust and adjust the teeth as needed to maintain proper fit so that the gums do not become red, swollen and soft.
Brushing and flossing should be done thoroughly, but not too intense. Rough mechanical action may irritate or damage sensitive oral tissue. Pain or boring gums may appear in the first few days after the floss begins. However, bleeding that lasts more than a week should be brought to the attention of the dentist. As a general rule, any pain or abnormality that does not disappear after 10 days should be checked by a dentist.
Description
Brushing teeth
Brushing should be done with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, preferably after each meal and snack. Effective brushing must clean the surface of each external tooth, the inner tooth surface and the flat chewing surface of the back tooth. To clean the outer and inner surfaces, the toothbrush should be at a 45 degree angle to the gums and moved back and forth with a short stroke [no more than one tooth width distance]. To clean the inner surface of the front teeth, the toothbrush should be held vertically and the bristles at the tip [called the toes of the brush] gently move up and down against each tooth. To clean the chewing surface of the large posterior teeth, the brush should remain flat and move back and forth. Finally, the Sweeping Movement from front to back should also be used to brush the tongue to remove food particles and bacteria that may make the breath sour.
Toothbrush wear should be replaced every three months. Consumers should look for toothbrushes with soft, nylon, round bristles that are sized and shaped to allow them to easily reach all tooth surfaces.
Holding a toothbrush can be difficult for people with limited hand use. The toothbrush handle can be modified to facilitate grip by inserting the handle of the toothbrush into the rubber ball.
Flossing
Using floss once a day helps prevent gum disease by removing gum lines and food particles and plaque between and under the teeth. First, most 18-inch [45 cm] floss is wrapped around the third finger of a hand. Then place a 1 inch [2.5 cm] piece firmly between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. The floss is moderated between the two teeth and gently raised and lowered several times by rubbing motion. At the gum line, the floss is first bent around one tooth, and then the other tooth gently slides into the space between the tooth and the gum. After cleaning each tooth contact, open a new floss with one hand because the used floss is partially wrapped around the third finger of the other hand. Floss cleaning is performed between all teeth and behind the last tooth. Floss cleaning should also be performed around the abutment [support] teeth of the bridge and under any artificial teeth using a device called a floss threader.
There are many types of floss [waxed, unwaxed, seasoned, tape], which can be chosen according to personal preference. For people who have difficulty handling floss, floss detainees and other types of interdental [between teeth] cleaning aids such as brushes and sputum can be used.
Risk
Incorrect or infrequent brushing and flossing can have negative consequences. The five major oral health problems are plaque, tartar, gingivitis, periodontitis and cavities.
Plaque is a soft, viscous, colorless bacterial membrane that grows on hard, rough surfaces. These bacteria use the sugar and starch in the food grains in the mouth to produce acid. Leaving the accumulation, this acid destroys the outer enamel of the teeth, irritating the gums to the bleeding point, and producing bad breath. The toothbrush begins to form teeth again 4 to 12 hours after brushing, so it is necessary to brush at least twice a day for adequate oral hygiene.
When plaque is removed regularly by brushing and flossing, the toothpaste hardens into a yellow or brown mineral deposit called tartar or tartar. This formation is crustaceous and provides an additional rough surface for plaque growth. When the gums form below the gum line, it can cause periodontal [gum] disease.
Gingivitis is an early form of periodontal disease characterized by inflammation of the gums that is painless when brushing and flossing. This common condition is reversible under proper dental care, but if left untreated, it will progress to more severe periodontal disease, periodontitis.
Periodontitis is a gum disease that destroys the structure that supports the teeth, including the bones. If there is no support, the teeth will loosen and may fall off or have to be removed. To diagnose periodontitis, the dentist looks for red, swollen, bleeding, and narrowed gums that widen the gap between the tooth and the exposed root surface and become prone to decay.
Tooth decay, also known as caries or cavities, is a common dental problem when acid produced by plaque bacteria destroys the outer surface of the tooth. The dentist will remove the feces and fill the cavity with appropriate dental materials to restore and protect the teeth; if left untreated, the decay will expand, destroying the entire tooth and causing severe pain.
Normal result
With proper brushing and flossing, oral hygiene can be maintained and oral health problems can be avoided. Older people may no longer think that they will lose all their teeth in their lifetime. Regular oral care maintains verbal and dietary functions that extend the quality of life.
Orignal From: Dental Care - (Oral Health)
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