A survey conducted by the British Dental Health Association (BDA) has highlighted continuing improvement in adult oral health. The 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) was published this month, and shows that 86% of British adults had 21 or more natural teeth, compared to 74% in 1978.
However, the report also highlights the importance of affordable dental healthcare, showing that people on lower incomes are more likely to suffer from poor oral health.
Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific officer with the BDA, found the report generally encouraging. “This survey confirms that the condition of people’s teeth overall has got much better since this survey was first carried out. Fluoride toothpaste, greater awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and regular visits to the dentist have all undoubtedly contributed to the better dental health we see in adults today.
“While the growing number of patients retaining more of their teeth into later life is, of course, excellent news, this improvement brings its own challenges. The way that teeth are cared for will need to evolve to ensure that these challenges are met.”
However, he described the link in low income and poorer oral health as ‘depressing’. “Addressing this must be a priority for the UK’s governments” he adds.
A total of 11,380 adults were interviewed for the survey, and 6,469 adults were examined, making this the largest ever epidemiological survey of adult dental health in the UK.
The study, which gives a snapshot of adults’ teeth across England, Northern Ireland and Wales, also suggested regional variations in oral health, with a greater percentage of adults in Wales showing poor dental health compared to their counterparts in England.
Regular dental checkups are a vital part of ensuring good long-term oral health. If you have a health care cash plan from Sovereign Health Care, you can claim cash back towards dental health care treatment including fillings, check-ups and hygienist fees, x-rays and dentures, helping to make regular checkups and immediate response to any dental problems much more affordable.
In an age in which new health concerns are practically issued every week, it’s no wonder why some people have just reached a point where they just don’t care anymore. But that’s not true for most of us. In fact, the majority of us still pay attention to health warnings and recommendations in the hopes that utilizing said advice will help us to prevent a health disaster later in our lives. This is true whether you are talking about your general health or your oral health. No matter what the latest developments are with respect to dentistry, dental care providers continue to insist that there are certain behaviors that continue to work in spite of changing times. It is the intention of this article is to discuss three habits dentists continue to recommend for oral health.
The biggest and perhaps most obvious habit dentists recommend for oral health is brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing. If you have grown up within the last 30 years or so, your dental care provider probably has advised you to brush your teeth twice a day to prevent cavities as well as maintain good oral health Flossing was added to this daily regimen. The logic is simple: be in practice of keeping food from building up and causing damage to your teeth.
Another habit that dentists recommend for good oral health is rinsing nightly with a fluoride mouthwash. Although brushing twice daily is often misrepresented as having the biggest impact on your oral heath, the truth of the matter is that brushing only gets rid of about 25 percent of bacteria in your mouth. Sure, flossing helps out, but the point is that rinsing with a fluoride rinse, particularly at night when the mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria, is also important in the fight against cavities. For instance, fluoride mouthwash helps keeps the enamel on your teeth strong, so that plaque doesn’t weaken it, creating a hospitable environment for cavities and oral diseases.
The last habit that dentists recommend is maintaining a healthy diet. It is a little known fact that sugar turns into carbohydrates, which is an essential component of the bacteria found in plaque. By moderating your sugar intake — that is, by eliminating high sugar content food and beverages (i.e. sodas) — you can significantly decrease your chances of developing cavities and poor oral health.
Regardless of whether or not you focus on or even pay attention to the constantly changing health warnings and recommendations, there is some knowledge that continues to stand the test of time. This is especially true with respect to personal dental care. Specifically, there are three habits dentists recommend for oral health. They include: brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing, rinsing nightly with a fluoride mouthwash, and maintaining a healthy diet. The results of these simple habits only prove that, despite advances in technology, there is something fundamentally reassuring about sticking to the basics.
Daunting. That is one word a lot of folks use to describe what it’s prefer to keep their family’s oral health up to par. Have more than one kid? That word may become closer to ‘impossible’. It may see a never ending battle to keep sugar away from freshly brushed teeth.
As soon as another child gets done flossing, you find that the dental floss has been used to hang GI Joes from the ceiling fan and the box is now empty. One child will only brush her Disney Princesses toothbrush and her brother insists on hiding it from her. The battle for good oral health never ends!
To help you keep your family on the track to good oral health, we’ve provided a few general oral tips below.
General Oral Health Ideas to Protect Your Family
* Don’t share toothbrushes. Provide special places for every child’s toothbrush so they don’t get them mixed up, and enforce the use of individual toothbrushes rather than one communal child brush.
* Clean the many toothbrushes your family uses on a regular basis. To achieve this, merely soak in bleach or peroxide for 30 minutes. Rinse well before using again.
* When your toothbrushes begin to show wear, replace them, or every three months at least.
* Choose a medium or soft bristled brush to avoid damaging delicate tooth enamel and gum tissues.
* Have your children watch you floss at least once or twice a day so they get into the habit with you.
* Sugar is in plenty of things we indulge in everyday – keep it out of the sugar you keep on hand for in between brushing.
* Always keep water on hand. It helps to rinse away residue that may harm your teeth.
* Do you grind or clench your teeth? Try to break the habit. This is harmful to teeth.
* Check for the ADA stamp of approval to make sure your toothpaste is as effective as it needs to be.
* Make certain you reinforce your teeth enamel with a fluoride rinse. Twice daily is good.
* Visit your dentist regularly for dental cleaning, exams, and preventative care.
* See your dentist as soon as a dental problem comes to your attention. Waiting until a cavity is too painful to endure often means that the tooth is in danger of begin unsalvageable. If you notice a problem either with your teeth or your children’s, make sure to get it checked right away.
Keeping these good oral care guidelines could be challenging, so pick one or two to institute with your family at a time and be patient as new daily dental care habits are formed.
