BRUSHING & FLOSSING FOR ADULTS! BY LESLIE DALE. PURPOSE This intervention is a compilation of...
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BRUSHING & FLOSSING FOR ADULTS! BY LESLIE DALE. PURPOSE This intervention is a compilation of current concepts, strategies, and theories to help individuals
PURPOSE This intervention is a compilation of current concepts,
strategies, and theories to help individuals understand the
importance of oral hygiene and developing the behavior necessary to
fulfill this goal. This intervention is targeted towards adults in
particular, to encourage them to practice oral hygiene behaviors
everyday regardless of the events going on in their day to day
lives. Likewise, this intervention will provide techniques to
successfully take care of their teeth in the midst of a busy
lifestyle, and will provide informative information about the
negative and positive consequences behind not taking care and of
taking care of ones teeth properly.
Slide 3
INTRODUCTION Oral health is an integral part of the overall
health of every individual. As young children, we are taught at a
very young age to take care of our teeth, and we are also taught
the proper way in which we should take care of our teeth.
Unfortunately, as we get older, a lot of those habits we had as
young ones have decreased, and we attribute our lack of brushing
and flossing on situations occurring in our lives at the time. One
of the most popular excuses is that we are simply too busy with
daily tasks. Another is that we are not being encouraged as much as
we were when we were children. Although both of these reasons may
be true, this intervention will provide strategies to work around
these setbacks and get back to taking proper care of our
teeth.
Slide 4
BACKGROUND CONCEPTS: WHAT ALREADY WE KNOW There are many
benefits behind brushing/flossing regularly and consistently which
include the following: Proper brushing and flossing can prevent
tooth decay and cavities. You can also prevent periodontal disease,
which has recently been tied to your overall health and well being.
Overall, tooth care has been discovered to be tied to good heart
health and health of pregnant women. Taking care of your teeth now
can save you money in the long run. Proper brushing and flossing
can boost your confidence and self-esteem.
Slide 5
BACKGROUND CONCEPTS: WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW Likewise, there are
also many negative consequences if we decide not to brush and
flossing which include: Build up of plaque on and between your
teeth. Smelly breath. Discoloration of teeth. Sensitive teeth and
gums. Various mouth diseases. Periodontitus Bacteria built up in
the mouth could spread to the rest of the body and impair overall
health.
Slide 6
WHATS KEEPING YOU FROM BRUSHING/FLOSSING REGULARLY? As
mentioned earlier, what keeps us adults from brushing and flossing
as much as we should be are a number of excuses! Top excuses are:
1.I dont have time to floss/flossing takes too long. 2.I dont know
how to floss properly. 3.My gums are too sensitive to floss/ it
makes my gums bleed. 4.I use a toothpick after I eatisnt that the
same thing? 5.I brush my teeth all the timewhy do I need to floss?
6.Why floss when I go to the dentist? 7.My friend told me not to
8.My hands are too big. 9.I forgot to pack it.
Slide 7
ATTRIBUTION THEORY: WHAT IS IT? Fritz Heider (1958) was the
first to propose a psychological theory of attribution. The
attribution theory is the theory that supposes that one attempts to
understand the behavior of themselves and others by attributing
feelings, beliefs, and intentions to them. The reason why this
theory is important when discussing oral hygiene is because as
humans we have a nasty habit of coming up with some casual
explanation as to why we are unable to practice certain behaviors,
one of the top ones being practicing good oral hygiene behaviors.
We like to say that our behavior is a result of a situation that we
are currently in, and if we are not practicing a good habit, then
there absolutely has to be a great reason why we cant (so we
think). In this theory, Heider viewed people as amateur scientists
trying to understand and make common sense out of our own behaviors
and the behaviors of others by piecing information together until
we arrive at a reasonable explanation.
Slide 8
BREAKING FREE FROM ATTRIBUTION THEORY Well, we are only human,
and we procrastinate and we make excuses for not performing
behaviors that we know are good for us in the long term. The best
way to change our behavior is to change our attitude! Thinking
about our overall health in the long term can save us the pain and
expenses later. If we decide to make an attitude change towards
health today, w can potentially lessen our risks of developing
certain health problems in the future. Most importantly, by
practicing good oral health hygiene now, it will be easy for us to
set a great example for the next generations of children, and
eventually we will start a new cycle of good oral hygiene
behavior.
Slide 9
STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE Carry floss with you when you go
out. By carrying floss in your bag or with you wherever you go, you
always have access to it whether youre going out to lunch or
dinner. If you have it on you, youre more likely to use it more
often. Hang a calendar One of the best ways to remember to do a
task is by making a note of it. Everyday, when you go down the
list, check off each behavior that you have already completed and
keep record of those you have already completed and those you need
to complete before the day is out. Create a routine We are
creatures of habit. When we make a behavior into a daily ritual it
becomes habit. Why not add brushing and flossing to the list?
Slide 10
STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE CONT. Go electronic! Hey,
electronics are EVERYWHERE and we use them EVERYDAY. We use them
for everything else, why not take advantage of this and use them
when it comes to our oral health? By setting a reminder on our cell
phones or laptops, we can easily be reminded that its time to tend
to our teeth. Establish accountability Youre more likely to follow
through on a commitment if someone else knows about it. Ask a
friend or relative to encourage and remind you to keep your
behavior change. That way, if you slip up, youll have to answer to
more than just your guilty conscience. Make it easy Dont feel that
taking care of your teeth is a ritual that must only take place
within the bathroom. You can care for your teeth almost anywhere in
the home. By planting floss around your house, in the kitchen, on
your desk, etc, you make it easily accessible and itll be easier to
remember to floss/brush.
Slide 11
STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE CONT. Print a reminder Sometimes
all it takes is a little visual reminder to establish a habit.
Stick a sticky note to your bathroom mirror that reads remember to
floss! Likewise, if you forget to brush after every meal, and your
goal is to brush more, simply stick little notes around the house
reminding yourself to brush after eating or snacking. Make an
association Associate brushing/flossing with another daily
activity. For example, if you have a child, try brushing/flossing
your teeth at the same time they are. As you are getting your young
one ready for the day, try brushing and flossing together. Youll be
killing two birds with one stone and youll be setting a great
example. Replenish your supply Many people will remember to floss
every day until their supply runs out. This is when the excuse, but
I ran out of floss arises. So, in order to prevent this from
happening, when you see your stash getting low, make a note to buy
more before you completely run out.
Slide 12
RECOMMENDATIONS Now that we know about the different types of
strategies to use when trying to develop good oral hygiene
behaviors, here are a few recommendations on how to keep those
teeth in the best heath possible. A few we have all heard before
are: 1. Brush your teeth at least TWICE a day for at leas t TWO
minutes. 2. Use a dry bristle brush for the first two minutes of
cleaning. (it isnt the toothpaste that cleans your teeth, but the
bristles in contact with the tooth surface that removes plaque). 3.
Spend time moving the bristles at and below the gum line, where it
is most important to clean. 4. Floss your teeth DAILY and after any
food that will stick in your teeth (i.e. corn, caramel, peanut
butter). This cleans the other sides of your teeth that the
toothbrush could not reach.
Slide 13
RECOMMENDATIONS CONT. 5. Use a tongue scraper. A tongue scraper
is an important part of hygiene that will also work wonders with
stale, smelly breathe. If you do not own a tongue scraper, simple
remember to scrape your tongue with your toothbrush every time you
brush. 6. Use mouth wash. Find a fluoride mouth wash, this will
help strengthen tooth enamel. 7. Choose foods wisely. Snacking
constantly can cause plaque build up on your teeth, which could
increase your risk of getting cavities. 8. Avoid sugary and/or
sticky foods. Although we all love to indulge in a sugary treat
every now and again, just be careful about how much you take in.
Sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth, which then excrete
substances that break down tooth enamel.
Slide 14
RECOMMENDATIONS CONT. 9. Visit the dentist at least every six
months or whenever you have a problem with your teeth. 10. Most
important: in addition to checking signs of cavities and gum
disease, the dentist can give you insight on how well your plaque
removal at home is, and more importantly, give you advice on how to
develop your skills. Ask your dentist to watch your technique and
show you how to improve, because you can go through the motions
alone at home, and your teeth could still be at risk for problems
down the line. Make it your mission to stay connected to your
dental hygienists because dental health is just as important as the
rest of your bodily health!