a)Oral Hygiene

ADA JournalDefinition

oral hygiene can be defined -as

the practice of keeping the mouth clean and healthy bybrushing and flossing to prevent tooth.decay'";J;;;isease and begins before ababyis bom.Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines. it as: ihe p;;;i."intenance oi"t.Jin"ss and hygiene ofthe teeth and oral structuresiy tooth brushing, iirr*-rii.ulation, gum massage hydrotherapy andother procedures recommended br th-; denllJil;ir,igi.nirt for the preservation of dental andoral health' The purpose of oral hygiene is to prevent tire build-up of plaque, the sticky film ofbacteria and food that forms on th;'teeth. Plaque uorr"r., to the crevicei and fissures of the teethand generates acids tha! when not removed on a."gutut.uuris, slowly eat away, or decay, theprotective enamel surface of the teeth, causi"g h"i"; (-";;ities) to form. plaque also irritates gumsand can lead to^ guni disease (periodontat ois.us"i )nJ toof, loss. Toothiliushing and flossingremove plaque from teeth, and antiseptic mouthwurrr"r nil some of irr. Lu"i".lu that help form": binding with enamel to make it stronger. In addition to such daily oral care, regular visits to the' dentist promote oral health' Preventative services thai specialists can perform include fluoride; treatments' sealant application, and scaling G".aping oritn. nu.o"ned plaque, called tartar). Thedentist can alio perform such diagnostic seivices;;;:d t.aging and orur

"un"L. screening as welras such treatment services as fillings, crowns, and bridges.

Precautions

Maintaining oral hygiene should be a lifelong habit. An infant,s gums and, later, teeth shouldbe kept clean by wiping tirem with a moist cloth or a soft toothbrurt.'tro*.u"r, only a very smallamount (the size of a pea) of toothpaste containing fluoride should be used since too much fluoridemay be toxic to infants' An adult who has partiaio. niia"ntures should also maintain good oralhygiene' Bridees and dentures must be kept "i.u"-ro-prev"nt gum disease. Dentures should berdlined and adj"usted by a dentist u, n"""rrury to maintain propel fit so the gums do not become red,swollen' and tender' Brushing and flossing Jrt""rJ l" p".6rmed.thoroughly but not too vigorously.Rough mechanical action may i*itate o. dumug. r"nri,iu" o.al tissues. Eo." o, bleeding gums maybe experienced for the first few days ate.. flosJin;il;;; However, bleeding continuing beyondone week should be brought to the attention of a-dentisi- a, u general rule, any sore or abnormal'condition that dpes not disappe ar after l0 days shourd ue examined by a dentist.

Risks

Negative consequences arise from. improp:r.oI infrequent brushing and flossing. The fivemajor oral health problems are plaque, tartar,^gingiuitir, puriJaontitis, unoioott J."uy. plaque is asoft' sticky' colorless bacterial filry'that qrows on the haid, rough surfaces of teeth. These bacteriause the sugar and starch from food partiies in ttt. *ouihlo iroau", acid. Left to accumulate, thisacid deshoys the outer enamel of the tooth, i*itater lh; gum"s io the point of bleeding, and producesfoul breath' Plaque starts forming uguin on teeth four-to 12 hours after brushing, so brushing aminimum of twice u lut is necisaiy for adequate oraL rryeirn". Gingivitis is an early form ofperiutlontal disease, characterized bi infla;;;l;; "r

flt.'!"rs with painless bleeding duringbrushing and flossing. This "otrnon condition i, .ru"rriutJ with proper dental care but if leftuntreated' it will progress into a more serious periodoniui-oir"ur", periodontitis. periodontitis is agum disease that destroys the structuret tupporting the teettr, including bone. without suppor! theteeth will loosen and may fall out or have io u. r"toveo. iootrr decay, also called dental caries orcavities, is a common dental problem that results *rr"n trt" acid produced by plaque bacteriadestroys the outer surface of a iooth. a aentist-wti ;;;;;e decay and fill the cavity with an