Happy New Year!
Have you considered actively promoting better oral health as a New Year's Resolution for your patients?
Part of every dentist's role is to be an advocate for oral and dental health, and this means actively educating your patients as well as undertaking clinical exmaincations and care. From young children just beginning their dental journey to seniors who have new dental concerns related to their age (and potentially years of bad habits), education is the key to lifelong optimal oral health.
So many of us make annual New Year's resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, stop smoking, save money, spend more time with family...but how many people make a commitment to improving their dental health and wellbeing?
If more people understood just how the mouth impacts the entire body, we wager that many more would make resolutions to improve their dental and oral health!
Why Focus on Oral Health?
- Your smile is the first thing other notice about you - and a bright white smile needs a healthy mouth
- Poor dental health causes stained teeth, bad breath, and other aesthetically unappealing consequences
- Maintaining your teeth into old age requires a lifelong commitment to halthy teeth and gums
- Fixing dental issues costs a lot of money and can be very uncomfortable. Prevention is always better than a cure!
- Poor dental and oral hygiene lead to gum disease, which in turn lets harmful bacteria enter the bloodstream. This can ultimately result in systematic health concerns such as heart disease, respiratory disease, Type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease/
- Keeping abreast of your oral health, including regular dental visits for preventative care and early intervention if issues arise, is critical for the early diagnosis and treatment of oral cancers. Dentists conduct oral cancer visual screening during a routine checkup. Due to issues like smoking, alcohol consumption, and particularly, HPV exposure in the past (as many as twenty or thirty years ago or even more), oral cancers are becoming more common, even in younger people. Early detection and management of this are crucial for the best outcomes. If you notice anything that doesn’t seem right and which doesn’t resolve within a few weeks, you must see your dentist.
Tips to Break Bad Dental Habits
It's not difficult for bad habits to form, and the beginning of 2022 is a great time for your patients to break any of their bad oral hygiene habits that have formed. The benefits of doing so can't be understated!
A few tips for caring for teeth and gums that you can share with your dental clinic patients include:
- Consider how your food and drink choices impact your dental health. Sugary foods interact with the bacteria in dental plaque to produce acids, which can erode the tooth enamel and cause cavities, as well as compromise gum health.
- Don’t use your teeth for anything except eating! Don’t use them to open bottles, crack nuts, chew pens, or anything else that may chip, crack, or break a tooth.
- Brush teeth at least twice per day, with a high-quality, soft-bristle toothbrush (electric is best). It’s best to brush after meals, i.e., after breakfast and after dinner.
- Use toothpaste with fluoride. Fluoride helps to reduce the risk of decay and strengthens tooth enamel. In Australia, our dam water supply is also fluoridated, so you can rinse your mouth with tap water after brushing if you don’t use tank water.
- Floss once per day, in the evening, after brushing your teeth or before bed. Use waxed floss for comfort and floss between all of your teeth using a gentle, slow motion.
- If you play sports, especially contact sports, see your dentist to have a custom mouthguard made to protect your teeth from injuries and potential loss. Certain sports require wearing a full-face helmet, e.g. hockey.
- Stop smoking. Tobacco/cigarettes cause bad breath, stained teeth, damaged gums, compromised immunity, and cancers of the mouth, throat, and lungs (among others). It can also increase one’s vulnerability to cardiovascular disease and other respiratory issues.
- Visit your dentist every 6 months for a checkup, clean, and fluoride treatment. This is your first line of defence to ensure your mouth and teeth remain as strong, fresh, and healthy as possible. Furthermore, if you have a toothache, a broken tooth, sore or bleeding gums, a severe or unhealing mouth ulcer or sore, or any other issue, schedule a consultation as soon as possible.
- Improve your smile. Is 2022 the right time for a smile makeover? From teeth whitening to orthodontic treatment, veneers, crowns and bridges, or dental implants, the right approach to cosmetic dentistry can transform your appearance and your confidence in all areas of life.
Dental Supplies in Australia
Choose Adam Dental for the very best access to the dental supplies in Australia, from Melbourne to Perth, from the brands and manufacturers you prefer and trust. From dental needles to burs, PPE, disinfection, surgical instruments, and take-home oral care supplies, we have it all – at great prices and with fast delivery Australia wide.