What is oral health care?

The oral health definition, according to the American Dental Association, “ is a functional, structural, aesthetic, physiologic and psychosocial state of well-being and is essential to an individual’s general health and quality of life.” So, the proper care and treatment of our mouth can impact our lives in more ways than just cavities.

• Functional – If your teeth are not functioning correctly or have been abused or neglected to the point where they fail to fulfill their proper function, something as simple as eating can become a struggle.
• Structural – When our teeth become worn down are pulled due to poor hygiene, or suffer from dental shift due to an extraction, then the alignment of our teeth and jaw can suffer. This can cause stress on the point of your jaw, which results in pain or worse.
• Aesthetic – A bright, straight, white smile is the goal of anyone who has teeth. The look of having properly treated teeth can get you more job interviews, better partners, and can make you seem like a more put-together person.
• Physiologic – Our oral care is directly related to the ecosystem within our own mouths, which includes: the good and bad bacteria, the saliva glands and saliva itself, and the health and strength of our tongue, gums, and teeth. If one or more parts that make up the machine of our mouth is malfunctioning, it can cause our whole mouths to malfunction.
• Psychosocial – When we are constantly worrying about our teeth, plaque, or bad breath, it can have a negative impact on our confidence. This can limit our willingness to smile, meet new people, or even try new things. Proper oral health is so much more than keeping our mouths healthy, it also helps keep our mental capacities proper.

Why is oral health important?

Other than the obvious answers above, oral health is important because it keeps us healthy and saves a lot of money. Gum disease is no light matter. A survey done by the CDC from 2010 claims that 64.7 million adults in America have mild to severe periodontal disease. And instead of assuming that poor oral conditions are just because one forgets to brush twice a day, leading research points to poor oral conditions relating back to more serious issues throughout a person’s body.

Ninety percent of systemic diseases have oral manifestations that are routinely ignored as being part of a large problem. These issues can be dry mouth, bad breath, swollen gums, sores, or bleeding gums. Diseases associated with the oral condition are:

• Cancers (oral, pancreatic)
• Leukemia
• Kidney Disease
• Heart Disease

Oral health facts

• People who drink more than 3 glasses of sugary soda a day have 62% more tooth decay, tooth loss, and fillings than people who abstain from sodas. Juices and soda have so much sugar in them that they more than double your likelihood of having oral health issues. Straws can help bypass your teeth when you drink but be sure to brush immediately after.
• Most people only brush for 45 to 70 seconds while the amount of time dentists recommend is 120-180 seconds.
• Water is an easy way to help your mouth if you don’t have enough time to brush or floss after every meal. Just swishing water around your mouth can help in removing sugars and acids from settling on your teeth for long periods of time.

If you’re ready to have your annual dental checkup, please contact Suburban Essex Dental and our staff will be happy to address any concerns or questions you have. We are located in West Orange, NJ, in Suburban Essex County.

We are proud to be awarded “Jersey Choice TOP DENTISTS” for 8 consecutive years.