Health simply means a state of complete physical and mental well being, while oral could be another word for mouth. Put together, and as defined by WHO, oral health is the retention throughout life of a functional natural aesthetic definition of not less than twenty teeth in the mouth and not requiring recourse for any prosthesis.
Unfortunately,there are simple behaviors which most people neglect to gain good oral health. These behaviors are called oral health behavioral practices. These behaviors actually enable us to be healthy in our mouth. This is because they are hygienically acceptable and are sure to promote the growth and development of the mouth cavity. When we practice good oral health behaviors, the oral tissues function well. These behavioral practices include the following:
1. Regular and prompt visit to a dental clinic.
2. Application of dental floss to remove food debris from the inter-proximal teeth surfaces.
3. Brushing the teeth at least twice daily, early in the Morning and before going to bed at night. While brushing, it is necessary to always brush the lower teeth upwards and the upper teeth downwards. For individuals with mouth odour, brushing after every meal is a good cure.
It is not good enough to talk only about good behavioral practices. This is because, one may do all these good ones and the bad ones as well if they are not known to him/her.
Therefore, to create a balance in this lesson, here are some bad oral behavioural practices which many, most times knowingly and unknowingly fall into:
1. Thumb and finger sucking as commonly found in children.
2. Tongue thrusting.
3. Sucking of the lips.
4. Opening of the crown of bottles with the teeth.
5. Breathing in through the mouth.
6. Gnashing of the teeth.
7. Retaining saliva for a long time in the mouth. This is bad because the mouth can get a bad odor through this act.
8. Taking excess sugar or sweets. This can release very acids which can be accumulated in the mouth to attack the teeth. However, if sweets and sugary things must be taken, it is necessary to rinse the mouth immediately after the act or preferrably, one can go for cleansing fruits like oranges and pineapples. In addition to these, taking good quantities of fish and milk is a nice way of giving Calcium to the teeth to make them strong.
It is very possible to protect and strengthen one’s teeth. This can be done through the use of Flouride toothpaste, exercising the teeth by eating soft bones from meat.
In conclusion, it is important to note the popular axiom which goes thus “Health is wealth”. The mouth cannot be left out. In fact, it usually creates the first impression on people that we get close to.
