Dental health. Factors that improve dental health

We all know very well that a person has thirty-two teeth and over each of them there is always the danger of getting sick if you do not pay proper attention to them. Dental health, no less important than the health of any other vitally important component of the human body.

Of course, you can object to me, saying that all these rules for caring for teeth, we all know a long time ago, from childhood.

However, not everyone is spared dental troubles. For this reason, it is extremely important to know yourself and explain to your children how to properly care for their teeth.

I think almost everyone knows the main function of teeth, which are designed to hold and chew food.

Getting poorly chewed food into the stomach can cause serious problems for it, creating a very significant load, and digestion with great difficulty.

Food that has gone through the complete chewing process is digested much easier in the stomach.

If you delve into the anatomy of a tooth, it consists of three main components: crown, neck and root.

The latter is not in our field of vision; it is completely immersed in the gum. The narrow part of the tooth, which is located near the gum, is called the neck. And the part that rises above the gum is called the crown. Enamel, dentin, cement are the main bone substances that make up the tooth and make it strong, and therefore healthy. The strength of teeth has a beneficial effect on their resistance to various negative reasons leading to. The integrity of the enamel can be considered a key factor in the issue of healthy teeth. A sudden change in the temperature of the food taken, due to acid-base exposure, or mechanical injuries, can serve as a very powerful argument leading to violations of the enamel integrity of the tooth. Constant and professional care of your teeth and oral cavity is complete confidence that dental health and a beautiful smile will always accompany you.

Removing dirt from your mouth

A toothbrush, used to clean teeth, is the main tool for necessary oral care. The number of microbes taken from just one milligram of dental plaque is simply very large. The minimum number of times a person needs to clean their teeth per day is two (morning and evening). External surface tooth It is necessary to clean with movements in a circle from the gum to the tooth.

I would like to note that for complete cleansing, it is recommended to perform such circular movements at least ten times. Taking this into account, the process of brushing your teeth should take at least 3-4 minutes. An even greater healing effect for teeth can be achieved by periodically alternating movements in a circle with vertical and horizontal ones.

It is much more difficult to clean the inside of a tooth, but this activity must be carried out without fail, since bacteria and microbes most often look for a “shelter” in hard-to-reach places. At the end of this process, it is necessary to massage the gums and clean the tongue.

At the end of all the above-described cleaning procedures for the oral cavity, it is recommended to use a dental elixir. Its antibacterial effect prevents the formation of plaque and significantly freshens breath.

Toothbrush age

The time interval during which it is recommended to use the same toothbrush directly depends on the intensity of its use and the effort with which pressure is applied to it. The average lifespan of a toothbrush should be approximately three months. During this time, the bristles have time to become inappropriate and become seriously contaminated with bacteria. They are a fundamental factor in the appearance of various diseases in the oral cavity, in addition, they can significantly complicate the healing process of diseased teeth due to their secondary infection.

If your body has been exposed to infectious diseases: sore throat, acute respiratory infections, then it is strongly recommended to replace your toothbrush, since the lifespan of bacteria remaining on it after an illness can be measured as a whole month. This rule should especially be taken into account by people with a diseased digestive system. And finally, of course, since a brush is an item of personal hygiene, then, of course, you should use exclusively your “tool” for cleaning your teeth.

Baby teeth

By the age of six months, the baby begins to cut teeth. Over the period from 6-12 years, all milk teeth are replaced by permanent ones. To maintain dental health at the proper level and preserve their strength, it is necessary to tirelessly teach your children how to properly care for their teeth. Until the child begins to do this completely consciously, the responsibility for this lies with his parents. Temporary teeth have a much higher risk of developing caries. Starting from the age of three, it is allowed to use a children's toothbrush and specialized toothpaste, which will not harm the baby's esophagus, since he may accidentally swallow some of it during the brushing process. A child is usually able to completely independently care for his teeth from the age of 4, but this does not mean that parents’ attention to the correctness of this process should weaken.

It is better to use regular brushes for these purposes, since then the chance of damaging the child’s fragile tooth enamel will be much lower. Considering the fact that modern manufacturers today offer a large assortment of bright brushes with a soft cleaning surface, the process of cleaning your teeth, which may not be exciting at first glance, can easily be turned into an entertaining game.

Dental health is an important factor on which not only the beauty of your smile, but also your self-confidence depends. In addition, any pathology in the oral cavity can lead to serious diseases at the systemic level, which may require long-term treatment. Therefore, knowledge of how to properly care for your teeth and what factors can affect their condition can help you maintain dental health and avoid problems in the future.

Dental health depends on many factors, and not all of them directly relate to the condition of the oral cavity. However, in the human body everything is interconnected. Therefore, any “failure” can in one way or another affect the health of teeth and gums. Let's look at the main factors that are primarily responsible for how often you will have to visit the dentist.

The role of heredity

Information about the location of teeth in the dentition, their density, shape, height, degree of enamel strength and its color is transmitted from parents to children. The genetic code encrypted in DNA has determined the individual characteristics of your dentofacial apparatus and will similarly determine the characteristics of your children’s teeth and gums. But one should not assume that genes are also to blame for the occurrence of caries - this is not so. Heredity has nothing to do with dental diseases, which is what caries is.

Nutrition of the expectant mother and child’s dental health

The dentofacial apparatus, like all other organs, is laid down and formed during the prenatal period of development with only one difference: a child is born without teeth, but has both temporary and permanent rudiments that will grow at the right time. The quality of these “embryos” depends on nutrition and dental care during pregnancy, which only after a few years will begin to fully perform the functions assigned to them. Nutrient deficiency, a lack of foods rich in calcium, fluoride and magnesium in the diet of the expectant mother, is the shortest path to poor dental health in her child. In such cases, the baby most often experiences insufficient saturation of hard tissues with minerals, loose tooth enamel, “milk” caries and other pathologies.

Water and human dental health

The quality of the liquid we drink is an important factor that determines the health of teeth and other organs of our body. The adult human body consists of almost 70% water, and about 30% in bone tissue. The minerals it contains help compensate for the deficiency of certain microelements that are part of bone and soft tissue. When the quantity, quality and composition of water in the body changes, the most important processes are disrupted, including the absorption of nutrients necessary for the normal functioning of all systems.

Directly related to the health of the entire body.

At the beginning of communication, we always pay attention to the condition of the interlocutor’s teeth, and the first impression very much depends on the smile. And how important a beautiful smile is when building your personal life is a truism. It’s not for nothing that in the old days a person’s health, his endurance and ability to become a successor of the family were determined by his teeth.

Nothing has changed these days. As before, teeth are connected with the entire body and serve as a kind of barometer of human health. And improper dental care, in turn, can provoke the development of many ailments that, at first glance, have nothing to do with the oral cavity.

“Neglecting simple hygiene rules and unwillingness to devote time to thoughtful and careful dental care and choosing toothpaste can lead to the appearance of a risk factor in your life that can fatally affect your health,” says Igor Lemberg, dentist, candidate of medical sciences, Colgate Total expert. – Use only those toothpastes that effectively suppress the activity of “cariogenic” bacteria. For example, toothpastes based on the effective triclosan/copolymer formula retain an antibacterial effect in the period between brushing teeth for 12 hours and even after meals, preventing the growth of bacteria and providing long-term protection of teeth and gums, and the anti-inflammatory effect of the triclosan/copolymer formula helps reduce the severity of gingivitis and other inflammatory gum diseases."

Oral diseases can cause serious illnesses in the body and affect the overall immunity and vitality of a person. Below are just some of the diseases, one of the causes of which may be inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity.

Cardiovascular diseases

Scientists have proven that diseased teeth and gums can become the “starting” point for the development of coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and stroke. In people with inflammatory periodontal diseases, the risk of heart failure is 2 times increased!

Bacteria from periodontal disease penetrate the blood, which causes inflammation of the walls of blood vessels and can trigger the formation of blood clots. And blood clots, as is known, can block the lumen of blood vessels and cause the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Problematic teeth are not able to ensure proper mechanical grinding of food, preparing it for absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. If your teeth and gums hurt and you are unable to chew food thoroughly, then an additional load is placed on your stomach, which can lead to all sorts of diseases.

Common mechanisms for the development of both periodontitis and gastrointestinal diseases are the presence of microorganisms that can cause inflammatory and immune reactions. Chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, pancreatitis are just some of the diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that can be caused by diseases of the oral cavity.

Diabetes

Most scientists confirm that with inflammatory periodontal diseases, blood sugar levels increase. A number of modern studies have found that successful treatment of periodontitis in patients with diabetes was accompanied by normalization of blood sugar levels over time. To normalize their condition, patients with diabetes must not only follow the recommendations for the treatment of the underlying disease, but also, if necessary, undergo periodontal treatment from a dentist.

How does dental health affect health?

Pregnancy

Hormonal changes in the body of a pregnant woman can provoke inflammation and bleeding of the gums. Infections living in the teeth of a pregnant woman can have an adverse effect on the fetus and cause miscarriage. Periodontal diseases increase the risk of premature birth by 7 times!

Man's health

Lack of proper dental care can lead a man not only to a sharp decrease in the number of fans due to an ugly smile and bad breath, but also to the appearance of a typically “male” problem - impotence. A chronic infection in the mouth damages the blood vessels, which can cause sexual weakness.

The most important thing indicator Horses' health includes teeth, which due to various diseases and injuries may be missing or damaged. Hence the famous saying: “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” The condition of teeth can be used to determine the age and health status of not only horses, but also humans. If by the age of 50 a person has all his teeth in his mouth, bones do not break under excessive stress, joints do not swell and there are no “spurs” on the heel bone, then this indicates the normal functioning of the skeletal system, that is, that the person is healthy .

Be more careful to the condition of your teeth and then you will be able to prevent the development of many diseases. Any inflamed tooth is a source of infection and poses a danger to the normal functioning of all organs. The occurrence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is often caused by the absence of teeth in the mouth, malocclusion and uneven placement of teeth. An even row of teeth and a correct bite are the main conditions for evenly distributing the load on the teeth, which means thorough chewing and digestion of food.

For prevention diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and to get rid of an aesthetic problem that is spoiling your smile, you need to contact a dental clinic to correct your bite and straighten your teeth using braces. Modern orthodontics allows you to eliminate defects in bite and tooth position at any age. Currently, bracket systems are made of titanium, nickel with titanium, plastic, sapphire, ceramics, polymers and even gold. Braces can be installed on both the outside and inside of the tooth. The latest designs are recommended for those who are worried about their smile while straightening their teeth.

Back in ancient times times of traditional healers It was believed that each tooth and area of the mucous membrane in the mouth corresponded to a specific organ, and diseases were diagnosed based on the destruction or defect of each tooth. In their opinion, pain in the front teeth on any jaw indicates a dysfunction of the kidneys and bladder. If the fangs located next to the front teeth hurt, then this is a sign of a malfunction of the liver and gall bladder. Painful sensations in the fourth and fifth teeth in the lower jaw or the sixth and seventh in the upper jaw can occur due to problems in the pancreas, spleen and stomach.

Problems with fourths and fifths teeth in the upper jaw or with the sixth and seventh teeth in the lower jaw - this is a reason to review the diet, as this indicates a digestive disorder in the stomach and a deterioration in the condition of the colon. If the 8th wisdom teeth in the front and lower jaw hurt, this may be a harbinger of a heart attack or stroke. Pain in the teeth of the posterior jaw indicates disturbances in the functioning of the heart and small intestine.

You can also judge by the color of your teeth about the state of human health. The dazzling white color of teeth in those with a Hollywood smile is not always an indicator of the normal functioning of all organs. Teeth may look this attractive after whitening, or it may indicate a low level of hemoglobin in the blood. Additionally, white teeth may be a sign of thyroid dysfunction.

Many people suffer from yellow plaque on teeth, which is most often observed in those who drink a lot of coffee or smoke. Yellow teeth can also indicate problems with the liver and gallbladder. Very often, yellow spots and streaks on teeth appear after long-term use of medications, such as antibiotics. Therefore, by the appearance of the tooth, dentists can tell how often you were sick in childhood.

Dental decay enamels and the development of caries in most cases is a sign of poor nutrition and imbalance in the body. As is already known, dental caries is promoted by eating a large amount of sweet, fatty and spicy foods. Lovers of carbonated drinks, chocolate and ice cream suffer much more from diseases of not only teeth, but also gums. Intensive formation of tartar indicates problems with the stomach; most often, patients with gastritis, ulcers and cholelithiasis suffer from periodontal disease. Improper dental hygiene and the accumulation of various microorganisms in the mouth already contribute to the development of many diseases, since they penetrate through the oral cavity to the internal organs.

If a person doesn't clean teeth, then caries develops and the tooth begins to ache, followed by headaches, problems with the liver, stomach, intestines and even with the heart. After all, the dental nerve sends signals to areas of the brain that transmit information about problems in the body to other organs. Moreover, these signals primarily affect sick or weakened organs. For example, if a person has chronic bronchitis, then neglected teeth can cause the development of pneumonia.

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Reading the disease in its teeth

It is enough to remember how slaves were chosen in ancient times. That's right, tough. Now, in fact, nothing has changed either, although the teeth have become much healthier.

There is one constant rule regarding teeth - teeth occupy one of the first places in the queue for providing everything necessary.

This special attitude is not accidental, because it is the teeth that protect the main gateway for infections - the oral cavity.

An old Arabic proverb says: “Death comes through the mouth.”

Dentists around the world tend to agree.

A needy tooth is the main source of danger; it quickly surrenders to the mercy of viruses and bacteria, and they do not stand on ceremony with it.

The infection quickly spreads throughout the body, affecting the weakest points.

So, if your teeth begin to fall apart before your eyes, this means that your body is not just experiencing a lack of calcium, but is suffering a real disaster: the metabolism is disrupted, the digestive system suffers, and the endocrine glands are playing tricks.

Everyone knows the proverb that says that they do not look at a given horse's teeth , i.e. They do not determine his age and do not complain about the fact that the horse is old, but accept the gift with gratitude.

By the condition of the teeth, you can determine not only age, but also the true state of health, and not only in a horse.

Beautiful smile- this is a combination of the healthy color of the teeth and the correct dentition with the healthy color of the oral mucosa and lip tissue. So, there is a relationship between the condition of the teeth and the condition of various organs.

Teeth can tell about the presence of disturbances in the functioning of body systems, and therefore help prevent the development of diseases.

By the incisors you can judge the condition of the kidneys, bladder and ears. By the fangs you can judge the liver and gall bladder.

Wisdom teeth(if they exist - about the heart and small intestine).

Teeth color is also an important indicator.

Snow-white “Hollywood smile” does not always speak about human health. Whiteness may indicate that the level of hemoglobin in the blood is too low.

Milky white color warns of overactive thyroid function.

Yellow teeth usually indicates that their owner often drinks coffee or smokes, but this is not always the case.

Yellow color also indicates gallbladder dysfunction. Taking antibiotics at different ages affects the appearance of teeth - yellow spots or streaks form. Teeth even tell stories about childhood illnesses.

The mouth is the first barrier to entry into the body.

Those who brush their teeth only once a day or not at all are much more likely to have heart problems.

The mouth and gums play a vital role in the proper functioning of arteries and blood circulation in general.

It has not yet been possible to find out whether hygiene is a direct cause of heart disease or is simply a risk factor, but dentists recommend not limiting yourself to home dental care and promptly contacting specialists to remove tartar and hard plaque.

help yourself

The close relationship between teeth and internal organs can be used not only for diagnostic purposes, but also for prevention. And prevention consists not only in timely patching of dental holes and treatment of inflammatory processes.

There is a special exercise for teeth! Yes, yes, it is exercise, with the help of which you will increase not only the blood supply to the teeth (which in itself is not bad), but also the internal organs associated with them, and, accordingly, their performance.

Chinese gymnastics

Clench your jaws tightly and hold the tension for 20 seconds. Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.

Qigong

Place your jaws so that your upper incisors are directly above your lower incisors, and now tap them together. Repeat this tapping of your teeth several times a day for 30 seconds.

Russian gymnastics

Cracking seeds is one of the best ways to train your teeth. The main thing is to approach this activity without excessive fanaticism. And don’t forget that chewing your food thoroughly will help ensure that your teeth get a decent load.

Ideally, there should be at least 20-30 chewing movements per bite. Too much, you say? But you will get additional benefits from this - you will eat much less than you planned, and your figure will thank you very much.

Yoga

For this exercise you will need a simulator: a thin stick made of soft wood, preferably orange, or a stalk of celery. The stick must be chewed until it completely disintegrates.

7 reasons to see a dentist

Cyst on the gum

A painful tumor on the gum - a cyst - can be felt with the tongue. It can occur within a few hours due to a tooth injury or because an infection has entered the gums. Essentially, a cyst is an abscess; if left untreated, the pus can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body.

There is a bad breath

Brushing three times a day, chewing gum, rinsing and other delights do not help... And they will not help if a serious “layer” of tartar has formed or the tooth is inflamed and is slowly festering. Here, as they say, comments are unnecessary.

Nasopharyngeal diseases have become more frequent

If there are no number of colds, and they arise “out of nowhere,” it’s time to see the dentist. The cause of permanent acute respiratory infections may be hidden in tooth inflammation, from where the infection spreads through the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx.

Gums bleed when brushing teeth

Of course, you may have chosen a very stiff brush. If a medium-hard or soft brush injures the gums, it means they are inflamed. Most often, the gums become inflamed due to a banal reason - improper oral care. The inflammation can be acute, with the appearance of many superficial ulcers on the oral mucosa.

Gums peel away from teeth

It happens like this: the painful inflammation of the gums has passed, and you sigh with relief: “Well, there was no need for a doctor!” And then you notice that your teeth have become larger. No, they are not growing - the tissue at the edges of the gums has atrophied and is slightly behind the surface of the tooth. The gums need urgent treatment - remove plaque and tartar.

Food constantly gets stuck between teeth

It looks like the teeth have moved a little apart due to diseases of the gums or bone tissue. It is very unsafe, because teeth can become loose, which threatens their loss. In this case, the front molars can very soon move forward, which does not look very aesthetically pleasing, to put it mildly.

There are malocclusions

You close your mouth and your upper teeth do not touch your lower teeth. This is a dangerous signal, since this picture occurs due to the displacement of teeth, “preparing” for loss.

Wisdom tooth

A wisdom tooth can be located on the jaw in such a way that it is very close to the nerves, which is why doctors recommend that patients not delay removing wisdom teeth.

With age, when patients are well into their twenties, the roots of wisdom teeth are fully formed, and it is very difficult to remove teeth without damaging adjacent nerve tissue. While the chance of damaging the nerve of an adjacent tooth is negligible at a young age, it increases to 10% after age 35.

The degree of trauma of a tooth extraction operation cannot always be predicted. Sometimes when wisdom teeth are removed, the doctor knows in advance that the operation will lead to tissue injury.

As a rule, the easier it was for the doctor to gain access to the wisdom tooth being removed, the less complicated the healing process will be. Since the complexity of the operation varies greatly, it is your doctor who will tell you what to prepare for in your particular case.

Complications may also include: difficulty opening the mouth (trismus); damage to the bottom of the maxillary sinus and the development of a fistulous tract between the oral cavity and the maxillary sinus; damage to adjacent teeth or dentures; fracture of the jaw during tooth extraction, especially likely in patients with severe osteoporosis, caused by strong pressure from the surgeon on the jaw.

Attention! Women who decide to remove their wisdom teeth should do so towards the end of the menstrual cycle - from 23 to 28 days.

The likelihood of developing inflammation of the socket after tooth extraction during this period is minimal. People with low immunity

and a high probability of developing infection after removal, they should start taking antibiotics in advance, which can reduce the risk of developing postoperative complications. This group includes patients with artificial heart valves or congenital heart defects.

The risk of complications is higher when wisdom teeth are removed in the lower jaw than in the upper jaw.

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