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India
healthysoch
New Delhi, March 20, 2023:
Oral health includes attention to teeth, gums, and orofacial system that helps in chewing and articulation, at the physical level. At an emotional level, it includes smile, facial gestures and sounds and self-confidence and the ability to socialise at the mental level. Oral health varies from early childhood to old age.
Well before the growth of the milk tooth, oral hygiene plays an integral part in the overall health and reflects the gut health. If the child is bottle fed through the night and the oral hygiene is not taken care appropriately, there is a possibility of enamel erosion. Dental caries of this milk tooth poses many other difficulties for the child in the weaning period.
The WHO(World Health Orgaization) highlights that oral health neglect affects nearly half of the world’s population. The WHO Global Oral Health Status Report (2022) estimated that oral diseases affect close to 3.5 billion people worldwide, with 3 out of 4 people affected living in middle-income countries. Globally, an estimated 2 billion people suffer from caries of permanent teeth and 514 million children suffer from caries of primary teeth.
Prevalence of the main oral diseases continues to increase globally with growing urbanisation and changes in living conditions. The primary reason being inadequate exposure to fluoride (in the water supply and oral hygiene products such as toothpaste), easy availability and affordability of food with high sugar content, lack of education to understand the effect of these sugary food intake and poor access to oral health care services in the community. Adding to the burden, marketing of tobacco and alcohol have led to a growing consumption of products that contribute to oral health conditions and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Oral cavity diseases in seniors
Dental caries otherwise known as tooth decay results when plaque forms on the surface of a tooth and converts the free sugars contained in foods and drinks into acids that destroys the tooth over time. A continued high intake of free sugars, inadequate exposure to fluoride and failing to remove plaque by toothbrushing can lead to caries, pain and sometimes tooth loss and infection.
Periodontal disease or disease of the gums
Periodontal disease affects the tissues that both surround and support the teeth. This can result in bleeding or swollen gums, pain and sometimes bad breath. In its more severe form, the gum of the tooth and the supporting bone becomes weak which causes the teeth to become loose and sometimes fall out. The main risk factors for periodontal disease are poor oral hygiene and use of tobacco. Certain medications prescribed for seizures can also affect the gums and predispose one to periodontal disease. Type 2 Diabetes and periodontitis are related and the former can result in the latter.
.Edentulism (total tooth loss)
Losing teeth is generally the end point of a lifelong history of oral disease, mainly advanced dental caries and severe periodontal disease, but can also be due to trauma and other causes. Losing teeth can be psychologically traumatic, socially damaging and functionally limiting.
Oral cancer
Oral cancer includes cancer of the lip, other parts of the mouth and the oropharynx. Oral cancer is known to be more common with men and older people. Oral cancer is likely to be more severe in men compared to women and it varies strongly by socio-economic circumstances. The use of tobacco, alcohol and areca nut (betel quid) are amongst the leading causes of oral cancer.
Oro-dental trauma
Oro-dental trauma results from injury to the teeth, mouth and oral cavity. Oro-dental trauma can be caused by oral factors such as lack of alignment of teeth and environmental factors posing risk of falling amongst the elderly. Exercises for preventing falls in elderly will help a person prevent oro-dental trauma.
How can we prevent oral diseases?
Regular dental check-ups are essential for maintaining excellent oral hygiene and diagnosing potential problems. Thorough oral homecare routines should be practiced daily to avoid future dental problems. Daily Ayurvedic practices such as oil pulling with gingelly oil helps protect the gums and removes the plaque.
Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the developed world and is completely preventable in a majority of cases. Professional cleaning twice a year combined with daily self-cleaning can remove a high percentage of disease-causing bacteria and plaque.
Habits for good oral health
1. Manual toothbrushes should be replaced every three months because worn bristles become ineffective over a time. Soft bristle toothbrushes are far less damaging to gum tissue than medium and hard bristled varieties. Additionally, an appropriately sized American Dental Association (ADA) approved toothbrush should be chosen for proper cleaning of teeth. Teeth should ideally be brushed after each meal, or at least twice each day.
2. Dental floss is the most common interdental and subgingival cleaner. The floss helps remove food particles and plaque from between the teeth. Vigorous flossing with a floss holder can cause damage to the soft tissue and can even lead to bleeding. Hence flossing should be done with great care and daily twice after brushing.
Habits to avoid for good oral health
1. Stop smoking and avoid tobacco in any form.
2. Avoid sugar coated food and snacks.
Oral health is as important as any other organ health. Oral cavity is a gateway to our gut. Maintaining a good oral health will help one have good gut health too.
Author: Dr. karthiyayini Mahadevan’s
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