Dentistry and You

 

PRESERVING YOUR BODY: HOW GOOD IS YOUR ORAL HEALTH?

 

Oral health is a necessity, but not always seen as such.

 

Carious, broken down teeth and periodontal disease can cause infection, which, when untreated, will impact speech, digestion, swallowing, respiration, and become a potential for debilitation and even death.

 

That being said, here are some early preventative methods to protect and maintain oral health.

  • Children should be taken to the dental office as early as one year of age.
  • Tooth brushing should be started as soon as the first teeth appear in the mouth.
  • Cleaning of teeth for children can be with moist gauze sponge, without toothpaste for the infant up to age two.
  • Toothpaste should not exceed the amount of a small pea.
  • Bottles must not be used as a pacifier/comforter.  The meal should be completed and the bottle removed.
  • Children should not b allowed to fall asleep with a bottle, especially if it contains sugary or acidic fluids.
  • The last activity before bedtime for infant, child or adult should be a thorough cleaning of the oral cavity including teeth, gum, and tongue.
  • Keep lips as moist as possible.
  • Remember, the full complement of primary teeth, also called “baby teeth”, is twenty (20).  All 20 are usually in the oral cavity by age 2 years.
  • All of the “baby teeth” are usually lost by age 11 – 12 years, and replaced by the permanent teeth.
  • The first permanent teeth are usually the mandibular, (lower), first molars which erupt into the oral cavity behind the last lower primary molar at approximately 6 years of age.
  • The first permanent molars are usually lost at an early age, prematurely because parents/caregivers do not realize that they are part of the new PERMANENT teeth that will never be replaced!

How many of these dental facts/preventative methods were you aware of?

Send your questions to the editor.

Remember, the body is made up of many parts:

“A BODY ISN’T JUST A SINGLE PART BLOWN UP INTO SOMETHING HUGE.  IT’S ALL THE DIFFERENT-BUT-SIMILAR PARTS ARRANGED AND FUNCTIONING TOGETHER.”  (The Message,  1 Corinthians 12:13).

The mouth is just as important as any other part of the body!

Until the next dental presentation, enjoy life, eat well, and keep a clean, healthy mouth!

By Dr. Opal Goodwich.