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
