The festive season is upon us and felicitations to us all. As we celebrate this joyous season and allow ourselves to indulge, it is important that we do not forget to take care of our mouths and teeth. Below are some reminders that you will benefit from if practiced and prevent suffering painful consequences as a result of enjoying yourself a little too much.
Do not forget to brush your teeth twice a day. After your last meal at night and at one other time during the day.
Use the extra time available to show the young ones how to brush their teeth and use this as a bonding activity.
If possible, floss your teeth. This will ensure that no food particles get stuck between your teeth.
Eat sweets and cakes in moderation and always rinse your mouth after so that tooth decay is prevented or slowed down.
Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into the meals as these contain nutrients that are important for strong teeth.
As you make your yearly plan, set up your routine dentist appointments for checkups and professional cleaning.
Happy holidays from Ezza Dental Care and a prosperous new year.
A habit is a tendency towards an act that has become a repeated performance, it is relatively fixed and easy to perform by an individual. We all have habits, some are beneficial to us and some we would rather do away with. For example, laying one’s bed every morning or jogging three times every week are good habits and on the other hand, smoking is a habit that is considered bad.
What are some of the habits that affect your oral health?
Nail-biting
Tongue thrusting
Thumb sucking
Mouth breathing
Bruxism
How do they affect oral health?
Nail-biting; nails are made of a hard material called keratin and when it is repeatedly exerted on teeth, it can cause them (especially the front teeth) to chip and eventually tip or rotate which affects how one’s smile looks.
Nail-biting causes tooth chipping
Tongue thrusting; this involves continually pushing your tongue forward. The tongue has one of the most efficient muscle systems in the body and henceforth continued exertion of the powerful forces generated can cause the teeth position to change. This in turn affects the appearance and function of the oral tissues negatively.
The habit of tongue thrusting
Thumb-sucking; human babies resort to sucking their thumb or any other finger as a replacement or option to suckling. Beyond 5 years, however, this becomes a detrimental habit that is an indicator of deeper underlying issues. Thumb-sucking causes the teeth to be displaced anteriorly, resulting in someone having an open bite, and sometimes the lips close with difficulty.
thumb sucking affects oral health
Mouth breathing; individuals with respiratory problems especially in their early ages sometimes develop a tendency to breathe through their mouth instead of the nose. The continued mouth opening messes with the balance of the oral health structures and can lead to misalignment of teeth. It can also increase the risk of caries as the mouth is often dry.
mouth breathing affects oral health structures
Bruxism; this involves grinding one’s teeth and it can either be done when one’s asleep or awake and sometimes even in both states. Grinding teeth leads to attrition of the teeth where they lose part of the tooth substance and this can lead to a number of problems for example; sensitivity, malocclusion, and muscular fatigue or pain.
How can these habits be managed?
Oral habits are effectively managed when the factors that cause them are managed. This lowers the chances of recurrence or relapse.
Most are signs of psychological stress and so a consultation with a psychiatrist would benefit some of the patients.
In children, the use of mechanical means for example habit breakers which are designed by the orthodontist or bandaging the fingers and chemical means like applying pepper on the preferred finger can also be effective.
Treatment of the effects of oral habits is important to restore the health-related quality of life of the individual and so it is important that if one has a habit such as these, or their child has or is developing one that they seek professional help as soon as possible. It is imperative that we try to unlearn some of these habits as their effects may not be immediate but are drastic and can be expensive to reverse.
Every year on December 1, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. This day brings light to the battle against stopping the HIV/AIDS plague. It also discourages stigma against those living with HIV/AIDS and shows that they too can live rich and fulfilling lives when they are on medication. People living with HIV/AIDS represent a special demographic within oral healthcare and they need even extra attention given the risk they have towards contracting opportunistic infections for which the mouth can be a portal.
How HIV/AIDS affects oral health
The mouth being the proverbial mirror of the body can be a sight where the early manifestations of HIV/AIDS and its associated illnesses can show. People infected with HIV/AIDS may experience the following signs;
Oral thrush which is a whitish membrane-like lesion
These can help in early diagnosis and this management before the disease progresses to debilitating stages. It is thus very important that people living with HIV monitor their oral environment and discuss any changes with their dentist or physician.
How can one cope with dental issues related to HIV
It is imperative that people with HIV maintain an even more meticulous oral hygiene regimen. They can do this by;
Brushing twice a day
Doing interdental cleaning
Having routine dental visits to ensure that their oral health is in check
Taking a very healthy diet including many fruits and vegetables for optimal health of both the teeth and the other tissues in the mouth
Trying to remove all possible foci of infection in the mouth including tooth decay
When you visit your dentist, do not be shy to let them know about your status so that they can ensure that you are handled appropriately and they also can protect themselves from the virus. Unless the illness is compromising to treatment, the dentist can provide all routine treatment that may be needed just like they would in any other patient. Let us all aim to keep ourselves and each other safe while we aim to make AIDS a disease of the past.
https://ezzadentalcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/HIV_image.jpeg500750Lincoln Tentenahttps://ezzadentalcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/ezza-dental-logo.pngLincoln Tentena2021-12-03 18:07:232022-01-12 09:26:26Oral Health care in those living with HIV/AIDS
