Dental & Oral Health 101: Maintaining Good Dental and Oral Health

Taking care of our teeth and dental health can feel like a chore, but it is of vital importance for our overall wellbeing. Diseases of the mouth, teeth and gums are largely preventable with good oral hygiene and regular dental care. Unfortunately, many people do not regularly see a dentist or practice proper dental health care at home. Barriers such as cost, accessibility, and poor education prevent many Australians from achieving good oral health. Read on to find out about the importance of good dental and oral health, the types of oral health specialists that can support you, and some tips for a healthier mouth that you can start using today.

What is Oral Health?

Oral health is about more than dental cavities or caries. Oral health refers to the overall health, well-being and hygiene of your mouth, teeth and gums. Oral health is a fundamental part of your overall health and wellbeing. Without good dental and oral health, your ability to lead a fulfilling life can be severely limited. Oral health is vital to eating, speaking, socialising and feeling confident in your smile. Oral health is also an important indicator of other health conditions. Most oral health conditions are preventable and can be effectively treated if detected in their early stages. Some of the most common oral health conditions include cavities (caries) of your permanent teeth, periodontal (gum) disease, oral cancers, traumas (injury) to the mouth, and cleft lip and palates. 

Despite the importance of dental health, serious inequities exist in access to quality dental care, treatment and prevention. The high cost of seeing a private dentist, and the long waiting lists for public dental pose barriers to socioeconomically disadvantaged Australians achieving a good quality of oral health. In Australia, 3 out of 10 people delay or avoid going to the dentist because of the high cost. This can turn a simple oral health issue with an easy fix into a serious health condition with ongoing impacts on your wellbeing. 

Why is Oral Health Important?

It can be tempting to neglect our dental health, especially if we have other pressing priorities or health concerns to deal with. Unfortunately, if you neglect your oral health for too long, you increase your risk of experiencing other health issues, some of which can become serious. The most common oral health conditions are dental cavities and gum disease. Left untreated, oral disease destroys tissues in your mouth. This can lead to physical and psychological ill health and disability, including complications like

• Inability to chew and swallow properly, which can impair nutrition
• Poor general health as a result of poor nutrition
• Poor dental health is also linked with other chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and stroke
• Development of oral cancers
• Mouth infections which can infect other major organs such as the heart and lungs
• Adverse pregnancy outcomes
• Oral disease is linked with higher rates of diabetes
• Digestion problems arising from poor chewing and/or nutrition
• Oral and facial pain
• Psychological distress as a result of pain and/or facial deformities
• Isolation and loneliness due to communication difficulties arising from oral disease.

How to Improve Your Oral Health

Understanding that your oral health is important is one thing. Gathering the tools and implementing habits and routines to improve your oral health is another. As adults, we get one set of teeth to last us for a lifetime. To prevent oral diseases, tooth decay and other oral health problems, start building the following habits.

Brushing

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We all know regular tooth brushing is important. It’s equally important to do so correctly and often. Here are some tips on effective tooth brushing:

• Brush every morning and every night for at least two minutes. Set a timer or get invest in a toothbrush with an inbuilt timer to ensure you are brushing your teeth thoroughly enough.
• Choose a soft-bristled brush with a small head. This will help you access all areas of your teeth, gums and mouth to remove bacteria without causing damage.
• Choose fluoridated toothpaste to strengthen your enamel and prevent decay.
• Brush your mouth thoroughly, including the back teeth and your tongue. Tongue brushing removes bacteria and freshens your breath.
• Change your toothbrush as soon as the bristles start to fray or every 3 months.

Flossing

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If you cringe every time your dentist asks you if you floss regularly, it’s time to build the habit. While some people consider flossing an optional step in dental health routines, it is just as important as brushing. Flossing removes bacteria and food particles from areas in your mouth that a toothbrush can’t effectively clean, such as between your teeth. Always clean between your teeth with floss or interdental brushes at least once a day. Flossing correctly is important to prevent the harmful build-up of bacteria and plaque that can lead to cavities. To floss correctly, follow the below instruction.

1. Break off a long piece of dental floss.
2. Wind the ends around your two middle fingers so that only a few centimetres of floss are used for your teeth.
3. Hold the floss with your thumb and fingers so it is taut.
4. One tooth at a time, gently slide the floss between each of your teeth. Rub the floss against the front and back of each tooth as you slide it up and down.
5. Be careful not to bruise your gums. The floss should not put any pressure on your gums.
6. When the floss reaches your gum, curve the floss around the tooth to create a horseshoe shape. This cleans the space between the tooth and gum where bacteria and plaque can build up.
7. Repeat steps 4 – 6 for each tooth. Use a new, clean section of your floss for each tooth to avoid spreading food particles and bacteria around your mouth.

Diet and Nutrition

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Even with a good dental health routine, our diet plays an important role in our dental and oral health. The foods and drinks we choose to consume on a daily basis impact how strong, clean and healthy our mouth, teeth and gums are. Some useful nutrition tips for good oral health include

• Drink fluoridated tap water instead of bottled water. Fluoride prevents tooth decay.
• Limit or avoid food and drinks high in sugar. Excess sugar can cause acidic decay of your teeth.
• Space out your meals. Grazing constantly means a more consistent production of acid in the mouth. Every time you eat, your mouth creates acids to start breaking down the food into energy. Having a few hours between meals and snacks gives your mouth a break from the effects of this acid.
• Chew sugar-free gum. Chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks increases saliva production which neutralised the impact of sugar on the teeth and gums.

Types of Dental Health Specialists

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Practicing good oral hygiene and making dental-friendly dietary choices is an important way of preventing oral health conditions. It is also important to get dental health care, including regular check-ups and seeing a specialist when required. During your lifetime, you will probably encounter at least one or two different types of dental health professionals. These may include the following.

Dentists

Dentists are like the General Practitioners of dental health. Dentists will usually be your first point of call for all your oral health needs. Dentists help protect your oral health by:

• Preventative procedures like scaling, cleaning and fluoride treatments
• Repairing damage caused by trauma, injuries or decay
• Treating a range of mouth, gum and tooth conditions
• Performing routine procedures including extractions (removals)
• Performing x-rays to detect issues and create a treatment plan
• Designing oral appliances like dentures and mouth guards.

Dentists often work with a dental assistant. Dental assistants support dentists during appointments, prepare equipment, pass instruments and operate suction devices during procedures.

Orthodontists

Orthodontists are specialists that diagnose, treat and prevent issues of your jaw and teeth alignment. They provide corrective devices like braces and plates to keep a healthy alignment of your teeth and jaw. 

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

These specialists treat structural issues of the mouth, teeth, gums and jaw. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons often perform procedures to rectify issues like cleft palates, problem wisdom teeth, facial injuries, oral cancer and tumours and cysts of the jaw.

Periodontists

Gum disease specialists are known as periodontists. They treat a range of conditions affecting the gums, and the tissues that support your teeth. If you have severe gum disease, your dentist may refer you to a periodontist for specialised treatment.

Endodontists

These specialists treat the pulp, which is the soft tissue inside your teeth. A common procedure performed by endodontists is root canals, which involve removing the infected or damaged pulp.

Prosthodontists

Prosthodontists are dentists with specialist training in treating complex oral health conditions. Prosthodontists often fit patients with dental implants, crowns, bridges, dentures, and more.

Other Dental Health Professionals

There are a range of other dental health professionals that you may encounter in your oral health journey. There may include:

• Dental technicians usually work in a laboratory setting, creating dental and oral appliances like braces and dentures under the instruction of a dentist.
• Dental hygienists educate patients on how to maintain good oral health and prevent oral and dental diseases.
• Oral health therapists mainly provide primary dental health care to children up to the age of 18. They perform checkups and diagnose and treat basic tooth and gum conditions and perform routine dental procedures.
• Dental prosthetists create products like dentures and mouth guard.

Why Visiting Your Dentist Regularly is Important

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Visiting the dentist is not always the most enjoyable task. Concerns about pain, cost, discomfort or bad news about your dental health can make it difficult to make your appointment. But delaying dental checkups and treatments will only make the issue worse, putting you at a greater risk of serious complications requiring more intensive and expensive treatment. Getting regular dental checkups is the best way to detect oral health problems early. The sooner your dentist is aware of any oral health issues, the more likely that treatment will be successful. Your dentist can also give you personalised advice on maintaining good oral health to have a healthier and more attractive smile, avoid losing your permanent teeth, prevent bad breath, detect disease and cancers of the mouth, gums, neck or throat, and improve your overall wellbeing.

When to Visit Your Dentist

Even if you have historically had good dental health, it is recommended that everyone visits their dentist for a routine check-up every six months. Some people will need to see their dentist more regularly to manage an existing dental health condition. If any of the following apply to you, you may need to see your dentist more often than twice a year.

• People genetically predisposed to dental cavities and plaque build-up. Dental health has a genetic component, meaning some people are more at risk of dental and oral health issues even if they practice good oral hygiene. If you have a family history of oral disease, notify your dentist so you can stay on top of any issues as they arise.
• Pregnant women. During pregnancy, a lot of energy is redirected to protecting and nurturing the growing baby. This can put pregnant women at an increased risk of dental and oral health issues. Getting regular checkups ensures any problems are detected and addressed early.
• Smokers. Smoking negatively impacts your dental health. Smokers may need more regular checkups and/or treatment.
• People with diabetes.
• People with existing gum disease.
• People with immune system issues.

In addition, if you experience any of the following, you should see your dentist as soon as possible. These symptoms or incidents can quickly lead to oral health conditions.

• Chipped or broken teeth
• Jaw pain leading to headaches
• Teeth grinding
• Swollen, sensitive or swollen gums
• Missing teeth
• Gasping or snoring when sleeping.

How Homage Can Help

Staying on top of your dental health isn’t easy, especially if you are managing other health conditions, or have limited mobility. This is where Homage’s team of highly trained, compassionate and dedicated Care Professionals come in. Our professional home nurses can assist with brushing teeth and performing general oral hygiene practices. 

Our patient transport service can help you to attend medical check-ups and appointments so that you never have to delay dental or oral health care checkups or treatment. Early detection is crucial in maintaining a healthy mouth and enjoying good overall wellbeing. 

Contact us today for an obligation-free consultation with our Care Advisors to find out how we can best support you in your oral health journey today.