Why is oral health less talked about?

WHY IS ORAL HEALTH LESS TALKED ABOUT?

 

Especially in Nigeria today, many people have less concern about their oral health, they feel anything pertaining to the oral cavity is not always a serious one, isn't it just to brush the teeth regularly. But it's beyond the brushing and rinsing it, Dental health is not supposed to be left behind.

    In this article a detailed explanation is made available on why dental/oral health is less talked about. But before that, it's important to know who is responsible for the care in oral health and where to find one

Oral hygiene, causes of dental disorders, prevention.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORAL HEALTH CARE?..... A DENTIST!!!! 

According to Wikipedia, A dentist also known as dental surgeon/doctor is a health care professional who specialises in dentistry and trained in the diagnosis, prevention, management and treatment of diseases of the oral cavity and other aspects of the craniofacial complex including the temporomandibular joint. So a dentist is not restricted to only the teeth and mouth alone. He or she obtains a degree known as Bchd/BDS/DDS/DMD Bachelor of dentistry and dental surgery/Doctor of dental medicine

Various specialties of dentistry;

• Family Dentistry

• Dental public health/epidemiology

• Oral and maxillofacial surgery

• Oral and maxillofacial pathology

• Oral and maxillofacial radiology

• Preventive dentistry

• Paediatric dentistry

• Endodontics and many more

  
  

A dental Doctor can be found in hospitals and clinics where they attend to their patients.

ORAL HYGIENE:

This is a healthy practice of keeping your teeth free from decay and mouth free from infection. Good oral hygiene is necessary to keep teeth and gums healthy, oral health is more than cavities and gum diseases. Research has shown that there's an association between the Heath of a person's mouth and their overall health. Experts consider oral health problem to be a global health burden.

CAUSES OF DENTAL DISORDERS

• Chronic dry mouth

• Inadequate brushing

• Medical problems like cancer treatment that expose the head and neck to radiation

• Smoking and tobacco use

• Not getting enough fluoride

• Bedtime infant feeding

• Certain foods and drinks

• Frequent snacking and slipping

COMMON TOOTH DISORDERS:

• Tooth Decay

• Impacted tooth

• Misaligned teeth

• Tooth injuries such as broken or chipped teeth.

PREVENTION OF DENTAL DISEASES

BRUSH REGULARLY NOT AGGRESSIVELY:

 

Nowadays alot of people are aware that brushing at least twice a day is one of the most important oral health hygiene and a way of removing bacteria, plaques to keep their teeth clean. But brushing can only be effective if the proper technique is applied

USE FLUORIDE:  

Fluoride comes from an element in the earth's Soil called fluorine. Many experts believe that fluoride helps prevent cavities and it's a common Ingredient in tooth paste and mouth wash. Evidence shows that lack of fluoride can lead to tooth Decay.

FLOSS ONCE A DAY:

 flossing Can remove plaques bacteria between the teeth where a toothbrush is unable to reach, also it helps prevents bad odour by removing debris and food that has become trapped between the tooth.

VISIT A DENTAL CLINIC: 

 According to experts, everyone is adviced to see a doctor every 6months for a checkup. During a routine dental examination, the doctor will clean the teeth,remove plaques and Harden tartar.. sometimes a dental x-ray is needed for proper diagnosis.

 DO NOT SMOKE: 

Smoking is practiced in all ages now, from adolescents, early adulthood till adulthood. Smoking harm the body's immune system, which makes it difficult for the body to heal tissues including those located in the mouth. The centre for disease control (CDC) names smoking as a risk factor for gum disease where American dental association (ADA) warns that people who smoke may experience slow healing after a dental surgery.

LIMIT SURGERY AND STARCHY FOODS:

Oh yeah, consuming sugar can lead to cavities, studies have shown that sugars play a role in adverse dental health outcome. Common culprits are Candies (sweets) desserts, but many processed foods also contain added sugar. WHO has advised that people should limit their sugar intake to below 10% of their daily calories.

DRINK WATER INSTEAD OF SUGARY DRINKS: 

Sweetened beverages are number one source of added sugar, in a typical U.S diet, sipping on soda, juice or other sugary drinks can lead to a higher risk of cavities, American dental association ADA, recommend drinking water or unsweetened tea throughout the day and drinking sugar sweetened drinks at meal times and in small volume.

Back to the the main topic and question, why is oral health less talked about?

From research, oral health mostly in Nigeria isn't always a big deal until it gets complicated or if it cannot be self handled anymore, they feel since it only pertains to the mouth it's not a big deal, just to do a regular brushing and addition of salt sometimes… but there's more to that, listed below are some reasons why I think oral health is less talked about, like why people ignore it or don't really want  to visit a dentist.

1. EMBARRASSMENT 

Yesss, why people ignore their dental health is that they're often embarrassed about their teeth. Sometimes they feel embarrassed that their lack of regular dental care has led to a decayed, stained as well as chipped teeth as a result they don't want to face a dental professional's judgement.

2. IT'S A WASTE OF TIME: 

Some people don't like going to the dental clinic because they mistakenly believe that regular exams are a waste of time,Infact getting regular dental exam is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Taking care of yourself is never a waste of time

3. THE PRACTICE AND STUDY OF DENTISTRY IS UNDERRATED: 

   

Outside the medical world, The practice and study of Dentistry is not highly recognised unlike the medical doctors,nurses and lab scientists. Non-Medics assessment of other body parts  is more important than the mouth so with this, alot disregard the practice of Dentistry.

they only believe is based on teeth whitening. At some point an elderly woman abused a young lady for putting braces on her teeth, she said the girl added chains to her teeth… she fully understood everything when different persons explained why the young girl used braces.

4. THEY'RE BUSY: 

   

Most individuals live very busy lives,and might not want to take time out of their busy schedule to visit the dental surgeon. However, getting regular dental care can help a person avoid time consuming oral surgery

5. SALES OF FAKE ORAL PRODUCTS: Some so called unqualified health marketers sell teeth whitening and other products to people indirectly telling them there's no use visiting the dental clinic. They sell these products and when people use them, most of them might still run back to the dental surgeon with complicated issues due to the complications that may arise from the use of fake dental products..

SUMMARY:

Practicing  Good oral hygiene from  infancy to adulthood can help an individual keep their teeth and gums healthy, Also having a regular dental checkup. The dentist didn't attend dental/medical just to be discarded. They studied for the care in oral health.