5 Common Oral Health Mistakes and How to Correct Them

Ever had a craving for something so delicious but when you try to take a bite out of it, you are suddenly hit with a sharp zing of pain? Or have you had episodes where you found yourself covering your mouth because you were worried about bad breath? You are not the only one who has been there. A lot of people are actually making some mistakes concerning the health of their mouth. At this point you might say to yourself "but I brush my teeth every day, even twice or more times each day", and I would say you are somewhat on the right track, kudos to you. But your oral hygiene is just a piece of the puzzle, your ORAL HEALTH goes beyond just cleaning your teeth.

FDI's definition of oral health: "Oral health is multi-faceted and includes the ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions through facial expressions with confidence and without pain, discomfort and disease of the craniofacial complex (head, face, and oral cavity)."

Why Does Your Oral Health Matter?

Taking care of your mouth isn't just about avoiding toothaches or having a dazzling smile for selfies. It’s way bigger than that.

• Your Body’s Gatekeeper: Your mouth is the main entrance to the rest of your body. Nasty bacteria from gum disease can travel through your bloodstream and have been linked to serious issues like heart disease, diabetes complications, and even respiratory infections. A healthy mouth contributes to a healthy body!

• The Confidence Booster: Let's be real. When your smile is healthy and your breath is fresh, you feel good. You laugh a little louder, speak up in meetings, and connect with people without feeling self-conscious. Your smile is a huge part of your identity and self-esteem.

• The Pain-Free Life: A persistent toothache can ruin your day, your week, and even your favourite meal. Proper oral health means you can enjoy that delicious bite of a well-made meal or a cold bottle of wine without fear.

5 Mistakes About Your Oral Health

When it comes to your oral health, it is easy for you to make mistakes and unknowingly imbibe a wrong attitude towards it. On the one hand, some of these errors may seem so trivial that you do not even consider them, and on the other, you may just not be aware enough. Here are 5 common mistakes people make concerning their oral health:

1. Skipping regular dental visit

There is a conspiracy among many people that makes them believe that dental visits equal bad or painful experiences. This in-fact is a result of not visiting your dentist regularly. Sounds contradictory, right? But the truth is, when you visit your dentist regularly, the health of your mouth can always be checked and maintained. This means that your dentist can tell you quickly if you are at risk of any problems in your mouth, or if there is already an issue you are not aware of and can get it treated early with a simple treatment. If you think about tooth decay, it doesn't just come as a sudden hole in your tooth, it starts very small (even painless and unnoticeable) and then becomes worse to form a tiny cavity which then expands to a larger cavity in your tooth over time. Your dentist can detect this process early and provide some preventive measures in the clinic in addition to modifying your oral hygiene routine in order to halt the process before it forms a cavity, or your dentist will do a simple filling procedure to treat the cavity that has already formed (tooth extractions are for overly damaged teeth with no good outcome for treatment or teeth that are impossible to treat).

Fun Fact: You can detect a lot of health issues in the mouth, like diabetes, HIV, syphilis, and blood disorders. So, your dentist is really your health vigilante! 

2. Not rinsing after meals or snacks

I am sure you know that brushing your teeth twice a day is ideal for a proper oral hygiene, but what you may not know is that brushing your teeth is not all there is to your oral hygiene and health. One thing a lot of people ignore is the 12+ hours daytime in between your brushing when you eat different things through the day and these foods or snacks or drinks leave remnants around in your mouth. These food debris staying for long periods around your teeth and gums create a cesspool of bacteria that attack your teeth and gums, in addition to the acids they form from the food debris, causing swelling and bleeding in your gums (gingivitis), bad breath, and even contribute to tooth decay. If left unchecked, the damage can worsen to cause severe destruction around the gum and bone which can lead to tooth loss.

Taking care of this is a simple matter, really. What you need to do is rinse your mouth after every meal or drink that you take, as long as it is not plain water. Yes, even if it is a teeny-weeny bite or a quick sip, you have to gargle with water (and it is just plain water) so that all the remnants hanging around your mouth are rinsed off.

3. Overusing whitening toothpaste

Who doesn't want a brighter smile? It's tempting to grab the toothpaste that promises crystal white results. But here's the truth: many of these whitening toothpastes work by being more abrasive than regular toothpaste. To put it simply, they scratch your teeth more than normal, what's worse is that you have to use these toothpastes diligently over a long period of time to get any kind of little results, if any. You are probably thinking why this should bother you, let's take a deep dive. Higher abrasion on your teeth means more of your enamel is being scratched off which then exposes your dentine. The dentine is the layer of your tooth that is under and protected by the enamel and it is naturally sensitive and yellowish/brownish in colour. You can start to get the picture from here; the more you scratch away your enamel, the more you get sharp shocking-like pain in your teeth and the browner your teeth actually start to appear.

If you really want to get your teeth whitened, then you should do a professional "teeth whitening" procedure at the dental clinic. professional dental cleaning does not scratch off your enamel and it gives you appreciable results than any toothpaste can give you (you should speak to your dentist though, if you are already experiencing sensitivity before doing any teeth whitening procedure).

4. Using non-fluoride toothpaste

There is a conspiracy gist that the fluoride in your toothpaste is bad/toxic to your health and that you should use toothpastes that do not contain fluoride. This is false! So, let's break things down. Fluoride is a mineral that is very good for your teeth to help them be stronger and more resistant to developing tooth decay. But the problem we face is that once our teeth are formed and erupted into our mouth, the only way they can absorb the fluoride by through whatever amount of fluoride touch the teeth surface directly which is what happens when we brush our teeth because the fluoride in the toothpaste will be in contact with the teeth. The second half of this story is that the fluoride in toothpastes are monitored and highly regulated. Simply put, the fluoride is only supplied in the amount that is required by the teeth and taking into account how much toothpaste may end up being swallowed. This is why we have age-specific toothpastes for kids since they require lesser amounts of fluoride and who tend to swallow more amounts of toothpaste. The quantity of fluoride in toothpastes is small and safe such that it cannot be toxic to your body. In a different perspective, you will agree that vitamins are considered very good for the body, but do you know that the same vitamins can be toxic to your body and cause serious damages if you take them in very high amounts beyond safely prescribed doses (you should never self-medicate, even for vitamins and other supplements, always let your doctor prescribe your meds for you). So, what do you say to toothpastes that contain fluoride? Yes, you must use them, and yes, you must love them.

5. Ignoring regular teeth scaling

"But I brush every day, why do I need scaling?" We hear this a lot! No matter how well you brush and floss, there are areas in your mouth that are hard to reach. In these spots, plaque builds up. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that builds naturally - yes, you cannot stop it. Over time, this plaque hardens with minerals from your saliva and becomes calculus (tartar) which is a hard deposit that your toothbrush cannot remove. This calculus is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can attack your gums and teeth, leading to swollen and bleeding gums (gingivitis) especially when brushing, painful gums, bad breath, and if left untreated, can progress to a serious gum disease which can destroy the bone supporting your teeth and lead to tooth loss, and severe infections and abscesses in your mouth. Luckily, these plaques and calculus can be easily cleaned off your teeth in the dental clinic through dental scaling (popularly called "scaling and polishing"). You should get your scaling done every 6 months, since the plaques and calculus are constantly building up, and you do not want to leave them hanging around for a long time.

A Few More To Mention

Here are some more notable mistakes about your oral health:

• Using a hard toothbrush: Switch to a soft or medium-bristled brush to protect your gums and enamel.

• Using a toothpick instead of a floss: Never use toothpicks, you could be damaging your gums. You should floss your teeth at least once every day.

• Eating after brushing at night: Try to make brushing the absolute last thing you do before bed.

• You frequently take soda drinks, alcohol, citrus fruits, and vinegar-based foods: These are highly acidic. Rinse with water immediately after to protect your enamel.

• Crunching on bones or ice: Please stop! You're risking a cracked or broken tooth.

• Ignoring your tongue: Gently brush your tongue every time you brush your teeth to remove bacteria that cause bad breath.

• The pharmacy is your best friend: Always contact your dentist/doctor first in case of any issues you may experience.

Healthy confession

Do you find yourself making any of these mistakes? Are you making corrections towards a better oral health? You may find that changing old habits can be a little tricky, but I know you can do it! As they say, "health is wealth", so your health should be a priority.

Till next post, stay healthy!