A Healthy Mouth is Part of a Healthy Life

Dental Health week takes place from the 6th to the 12th of August, at Morphett Vale Dental Care is dental health week every week of the year. This year theme is “Watch Your Mouth” The main purpose of why the Dental Association runs dental health week is to promote, educate create awareness and encourage healthy lifestyle habits that have an impact on our oral health.

Keeping a healthy mouth is a team effort between your dentist, hygienist, oral health therapist, dental nurses and you at home.

We have put together 5 essential tips that would help you have a healthy mouth which translates into a healthy life:

  • Keep your mouth Clean

Follow this advice and not only you will be rewarded with a fresher and cleaner mouth but a healthier body too.

Brushing twice a day and flossing are important parts of a daily oral health routine. When using a toothbrush pick a soft-bristled toothbrush, brushing does not mean quickly scrubbing your teeth for 30 seconds, it is required to brush for a minimum of two minutes. Choose a toothpaste that contains fluoride (as this strengthens teeth, making them resistant to acid attack) and spit out do not rinse. Floss daily, if flossing is too difficult for you to speak with your dentist as there are other alternatives to flossing.

  • Eat well

You are what you eat! Reduce sugar intake and try to minimize snacks in-between meals. Eating habits have a big impact on the health of our teeth, as a diet high in sugar increase the risk of tooth decay. The sugar that is found in food and drinks is taken up by bacteria, this produces acids that attack the enamel (outer layer of our tooth) causing tooth decay.

Yet it is not just the obvious sweet foods and drinks we need to be on the watch for, there is a lot of hidden sugar that we need to be on the lookout for. It is also important to try to have 3 meals a day instead of grazing or snaking all day.  As one of the functions of the saliva is to neutralize the acid, this helps our teeth recover, nevertheless if we frequently snack the teeth do not have a recovery time and over a period of time teeth will decay as a result from the continuous acid attacks.

  • Do not smoke or chew tobacco

Watch what you put in your mouth.

At least three Australians are diagnosed every day with oral cancer. Oral cancer is very aggressive and often will go undetected until it has reached its advanced stage, with a 50% survival rate over a period of five years.  While the consumption of tobacco has decreased it has been substituted by e-cigarettes and water-pipe smoking and while these may not contain nicotine like tobacco, consumers are still at risk of health problems due to the toxic substance the smoke contains. So, if you are considering quitting please speak to your health provider.

  • Protect your teeth

If you play a contact sport such as football, martial art, netball, etc it is important to wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth from trauma, so that if an accident were to happen the teeth, lips and soft tissues are protected.

Also, if you grind or clench your teeth at night it is advised to protected them with a nightguard, to protect your teeth from wear and tear. Speak to your dentist if you think you could be grinding.

  • Regular maintenance dental visits

It is recommended to see the dentist twice a year for a comprehensive exam and professional hygiene. Regular exams and professionals clean are the best way to detect and prevent oral health problems before they get worse.

At Morphett Vale Dental Care, we always encourage regular exams and cleans! To book a time with one of our friendly dentist call (08)83822410 alternative you may book an appointment online.

Posted on August 2018 by Dr. Erika Guerra

The simple fact is that taking good care of your mouth could save your life, a healthy mouth is an important part of a healthy life.