Brushing and flossing are important for oral health, but they may not be enough to remove all the bacteria from your mouth. Hygienists can recommend specialized tools for cleaning hard-to-reach places and also teach you proper techniques.

Adolescents with good knowledge of oral hygiene had better OHRQoL. Providing health information in schools would be an effective way to promote dental hygiene among adolescents.

Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping your mouth clean and disease-free.

Many health problems have been linked to poor oral hygiene. Some of these include diabetes and heart disease. Serious gum disease is known to cause blood sugar levels to rise, and it can also make it harder to control diabetes. It’s thought that bacteria from the mouth can travel down the throat and enter the lungs, which may contribute to pneumonia. It’s also been linked to cancers of the back of the throat (oropharyngeal cancers). Brushing and flossing help keep these bacteria under control.

Brushing and flossing also prevent gum diseases like gingivitis, which causes the gums to become red and swollen, and to bleed easily. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease, which can damage the bones and gums. Regular teeth cleanings by a dental hygienist can prevent and treat these diseases.

Oral hygiene also helps you enjoy life by allowing you to speak clearly, eat and drink without discomfort, and express your emotions with a smile. It’s important to reduce your daily consumption of sugary drinks, and to drink plenty of water to wash away bacteria and neutralize acid from the mouth. It’s also a good idea to chew your food well, and to eat a healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables. This will protect your teeth, and allow you to live a longer and more enjoyable life.

It helps you enjoy life.

Good oral health allows you to eat well, speak clearly and express emotions. It reduces the need for dental work such as fillings, crowns and root canals and improves overall health including reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other diseases linked to poor oral health.

The mouth is home to billions of bacteria – most are harmless but some can cause infection and inflammation. Having a routine of daily brushing and flossing helps keep bacteria under control. It’s also important to limit sugar intake and to avoid tobacco products.

Regular teeth cleanings remove bacterial plaque, tartar and stains above and below the gumline. Combined with proper brushing and flossing, this preventative treatment reduces the occurrence of cavities and gum disease. It also reduces the risk of infections within and below a tooth that can lead to sepsis.

Your dental hygienist is an expert in the relationship between your mouth and overall health. They can spot signs of infection that may indicate a greater problem elsewhere in the body, and they know how to help you get back to good health quickly. They can also spot the warning signs of other health conditions such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. They can recommend oral hygiene products and can advise you on the best way to use them.

It reduces the need for dental work.

Many oral health problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, and dental injuries can be prevented by good hygiene practices including daily brushing and flossing, eating a healthy diet, and visiting your dentist regularly. In addition, regular preventive dental care can catch problems when they are small and easier to treat. Unfortunately, people who lack access to affordable oral healthcare often cannot get the treatment they need, which can lead to serious health consequences.

A good dental hygiene routine can also help you avoid infections in the mouth. These infections can occur in the gums (periodontal), lips, palate, and cheeks; within and below teeth; and in the bone or tissue surrounding them. If left untreated, a dental infection can spread to other parts of the body and may lead to sepsis.

Practicing good oral hygiene can also reduce your risk of developing gum disease and other oral cancers. Gum diseases are common, but they are usually mild and can be reversed with a good daily routine of brushing and flossing.

A regular cleaning by a dentist or hygienist removes tartar, which is hardened plaque. It is important to remove this tartar before it hardens to prevent cavities, gingivitis, and severe gum disease. A dental hygienist can use hand, sonic, or ultrasonic instruments to remove the calculus. To avoid infection, it is important to protect vacuum lines with liquid disinfectant traps or high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters and use standard bloodborne pathogen prevention (contact, droplet, and airborne) and eye protection when performing these tasks.

It reduces your risk of oral cancer.

Practicing good oral hygiene can help reduce a person’s risk of developing mouth or throat cancer. In a case study, researchers found that people with poor oral hygiene were much more likely to develop these diseases than those who followed a healthy regimen. This included brushing teeth several times a day, using a toothpaste that contains fluoride, and visiting the dentist regularly. A healthy diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and getting a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can also help reduce a person’s risk of oral cancer.

The study used logistic regression to estimate the association between five oral hygiene indicators and incident head and neck cancer (HNC) risk. The variables were: wearing dentures; gum disease; 5 missing teeth; brushing frequency; and dentist visit frequency. The model was mutually adjusted for HNC risk, age, gender, education, alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking and geographical region.

Taking care of your teeth is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health. If you have questions about your dental health, or are experiencing any pain, call our Los Angeles dentistry office today. We can help you develop an individualized oral hygiene regimen that will keep your smile healthy and free from disease. We’ll also ensure you get the proper treatment if needed, so you can enjoy your life to the fullest.