Are we getting so lazy these days that we can’t even hold a toothbrush and brush our own teeth? Are we so short of time that we can’t even spare a couple of minutes morning and night to clean our teeth? That is what the latest oral hygiene invention claims.
We have all heard about how bad sugar is for your teeth and how it causes tooth decay. Did you know acid is just as bad if not worse for your teeth than sugar?
If you could protect yourself and your family, you would jump at it wouldn’t you? Anyone in their right mind would immediately answer yes to this question. However, this is the very question that is asked when it comes to immunisation for preventable diseases and I’m afraid the statistics show that many of us are not only not jumping to do so, but have not considered it at all.
What did you order the last time you went out for dinner at a restaurant? How healthy was it? We have all read and heard appraisals about how great tasting but unhealthy the food is from a restaurant. But have you read and heard how does a restaurant meal rate from a dental perspective? Let’s have a look at a typical restaurant meal in regards to the impact on your teeth.
How often do you wash your hands? Transfer of germs from the hands is one of the most common pathways to pass on disease. Our hands touch many things that may not be clean and if we touch someone or something else afterwards, the germs on our hands can be transmitted to that person or item. Good hand hygiene limits this transmission of germs. You can wash your hands with soap and water or if your hands are not visibly soiled, you can use an alcohol-based handrub to disinfect your hands.
Can you say “I love going to the dentist!”? One of my very young patients wrote that on the colouring-in sheet we gave her to complete while she was waiting for her mum who was getting a check-up and clean. She showed it to me proudly and said “I love coming in and seeing you!”. It made me feel fantastic and I wished all patients were like this.
There has been discussion about placing health warnings on sugary snacks in an effort to limit their consumption. Much the same as the graphic pictures detailing the health risks associated with tobacco on cigarette packs, it has been proposed that a similar warning might deter people from buying and consuming sugary snacks. It has been claimed that eating sugary snacks may be just as lethal to our health as smoking, so similar tactics should apply to both in reducing their existence.
Do you have oral white patches on your gums, tongue or lining of your mouth? Are the white patches thick and plaque-like? Do you smoke? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you should see a dentist or doctor to have your mouth assessed.
Did you know that drug abuse destroys your mouth? We all know recreational drug use has many negative consequences. The classic image is of a person with blood shot eyes and bleeding nose, who is shaking and highly irritable or agitated. However, it may not be known that drug abuse has significant consequences on your oral health as well.
It is extremely important that you tell your dentist the medications you are taking. We all hate filling our forms so the most common reaction when a patient is presented with a medical history update form is that they don’t want to complete it. “Didn’t I fill one of these out last time!” and “Nothing has changed so I don’t need to fill one out!” are typical responses. However, it is recommended by the Australian Dental Association to update your medical history and tell your dentist the medications you are taking at every visit.
