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Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means:

÷ {our teeth are clean and free of debris

÷ Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss
÷ ad breath is not a constant problem

If your gums do hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you are experiencing persistent bad breath,
see your dentist. Any of these conditions may indicate a problem.

{our dentist or hygienist can help you learn good oral hygiene techniques and can help point out areas of
your mouth that may require extra attention during brushing and flossing.

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Mouth tissues reflect symptoms of other problems. In addition, many diseases can be diagnosed in their
early stages through an oral examination. These diseases may be characterized by swollen gums, mouth ulcers,
dry mouth and/or excessive gum problems. Some of these diseases include diabetes, leukemia, cancer, heart
disease and kidney disease.

Other sources of oral malodor are:

÷ Stress
÷ Medical Conditions
÷ Certain drugs
÷ erostomia or chronic dry mouth
÷ àunger or specific foods
÷ àormonal changes
÷ 0ven, subjective halitosis exists. This is a condition where an individual believes
they have an unpleasant odor; however, this so-called odor is not detectable to others.

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Oral health means more than just an attractive smile. Poor oral health and untreated oral diseases and
conditions can have a significant impact on quality of life. And in many cases, the condition of the mouth
mirrors the condition of the body as a whole. Recent reports indicate a relationship between periodontal (gum)
disease and stroke, heart disease, and pre-term low-birth-weight babies. Likewise, more than 90 percent of all
systemic diseases have oral manifestations, meaning your dentist may be the first health care provider to
diagnose a health problem.

Digestion starts in the mouth. Research indicates that a clean mouth prevents aspiration pneumonia,
gum disease, and helps prevent heart disease. Salivary flow is reduced by some medications and medical
treatments. Reduced saliva flow results in less natural washing away of oral bacteria.



 


Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums.
àealthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good
oral health is important to your overall well-being.

Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems before they
develop and are much less painful, expensive, and worrisome than treating conditions that have been allowed to
progress.

In between regular visits to the dentist, there are simple steps that each of us can take to greatly decrease
the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include:

÷ rushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily

÷ 0ating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals
÷ Dsing dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste
÷ Rinsing with a fluoride mouth rinse if your dentist tells you

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According to the recently released Surgeon General's report on oral health in America, a large
percentage of the population suffers from a reduced quality of life due to oral and facial pain. This
pain is largely due to infections of the gums that support the teeth and can lead to tooth loss. More
than 75 percent of the population is affected by some type of periodontal disease or gingivitis.

Recent reports show that infections in the mouth can affect major organs. One example is
bacterial endocarditis, a condition in which the lining of the heart and heart valves become inflamed.
Poor mouth care also can contribute to oral cancer, which now takes more lives annually than cervical
or skin cancer.

In addition, poor oral health affects the digestive process, which begins with physical and
chemical activities in the mouth. Problems here can lead to intestinal failure, Irritable owel
Syndrome and other problems.

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Seeing a dentist every six months can help identify diseases in their earliest stages. It also is
important to provide your dentist with a complete medical/dental history and to inform him or her of
any recent problems, even if they seem unrelated to your mouth.

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A regular exam allows your dentist to keep your mouth in tip-top shape and watch for
developments that may point to problems elsewhere in your body. A dental exam also picks up on
poor nutrition and hygiene, growth and development problems and improper jaw alignment.
According to a recent survey, 90 percent of dentists said they counsel patients on home care for
special oral health care needs resulting from chemotherapy or head and neck radiation therapy.
0ighty-seven percent of dentists surveyed responded that they counsel patients on tobacco use, more
than half provide direct counseling to patients. Thirty-eight percent of respondents also provide
literature on the dangers of tobacco and information on tobacco cessation programs to patients, 17
percent refer patients to their primary care physician, and 14 percent directly refer patients to
cessation services.
 


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Tilt the brush at a 45° angle against Gently brush the outside, Gently brush your tongue to
the gumline and sweep or roll the inside and chewing surface of remove bacteria and freshen
brush away from the gumline. each tooth using short back- breath.
and-forth strokes.




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Dse about 18" of floss, leaving an Gently follow the curves of e sure to clean beneath the
inch or two to work with. your teeth. gumline, but avoid snapping the
floss on the gums.