Dental Hygiene

Dental or oral hygiene refers to maintaining healthy teeth and gums by regularly brushing and flossing your teeth to ensure that plaque and bacteria are removed effectively from the teeth. Maintaining a good oral hygiene routine can prevent the formation of plaque which if left untreated may result in gingivitis and other forms of gum disease.

If a person does not maintain regular brushing and flossing habits they will become more susceptible to dental decay and acid erosion therefore it is important for everyone to establish a good dental hygiene routine. This hub is designed to give more information on dental hygiene as outlined below.

Dental hygiene is important in keeping your teeth and gums clean and healthy and also maintaining the functionality of the teeth. If a person does not establish a proper dental hygiene routine such as brushing and flossing twice daily than they may be more susceptible to dental decay and in the worst cases untreated decay can lead to a tooth extraction. 

Neglecting your teeth and gums could result in many other dental problems such as gum disease, tooth sensitivity and acid erosion.  Bad breath can be a symptom that is the result of poor dental hygiene and therefore in order to combat bad breath it is important that we brush and clean our teeth on a daily basis.

There are many ways that a person can maintain good dental hygiene and protect themselves against gum disease and dental decay as discussed below:

• The most common and important way of maintaining good dental hygiene is by brushing the teeth twice daily and using floss.
• A mouthwash can be also used as part of your oral hygiene routine to provide an extra clean especially if you suffer from bad breath or other dental problems.
• Eating healthily and avoiding too much sugary foods and acidic drinks can also aid in the prevention of plaque and acid erosion.
• Using toothpastes which contain fluoride can strengthen the enamel of your teeth and aid in attacking bacteria.

There are many important things you can do to aid in prevention of dental decay and other dental problems as a result of bad oral hygiene as described below:

• Brush your teeth daily and floss to get food particles and debris that may be difficult to reach with your brush

• Visit your dentist regularly to assess your teeth and identify any potential problems so that it can be treated at the earliest

• You can try having regular dental treatments such as professional dental cleaning, fluoride treatments and scaling to help remove difficult plaque left on the teeth

• Restorative treatments can be used to treat the teeth to restore its functionality

If you do not maintain a good dental hygiene routine and you do not look after your teeth and gums then you may experience some of the following dental problems:

•   Tooth Decay

•   Gum Disease

•   Gingivitis

•   Dental Caries

•   Cavities

•   Bad Breath

•   Tartar

Other dental problems that can occur due to poor oral hygiene is periodontitus which causes your teeth to loosen and fall out.

There are many ways in which you can find a dentist specialising in dental hygiene as described below:

1. Google is always a good idea to search for a suitable dental hygienist and there are several other search engines to choose from.

2. The www.cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk contains comprehensive information on dental hygiene and lists many dentists who offer such services.

3. Your local dentist may be able to further advise you on maintaining your dental hygiene and treatment; don’t be afraid to ask.