Just recall, when you visit the doctor, how many times does it happen that he asks you to open your mouth to examine what’s going inside your body? Perhaps , most of the times! This one-step verification of our well-being indicates that the ‘health of our mouth’ is the gateway to ‘overall health’. In fact, the Academy of General Dentistry states that more than 90 percent of systemic diseases give indications in the form of symptoms related to oral illness.
The above statements clearly point to the fact that it’s vital to maintain good oral health. But, according to WHO, world-wide, 60-90% of school goers and nearly 100% of adults have cavity problem in their teeth, which is an indication of oral illness. WHO defines Oral Health as- “A state of being free from mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral infection and sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychological wellbeing.”
So, let’s take care of our Oral Health from today. To protect ourselves from oral problems, we essentially need to make two of our oral health soldiers strong.
THE FIRST SOLDIER FOR ORAL HEALTH IS SALIVA
Saliva has:
a) Antibodies which counter attacks and dismantle the vital attacks of deadly diseases such as HIV
b) Histatin named proteins which protect us from fungal infections in the mouth
c) Electrolytes which lubricate the moving oral tissues enabling speech in human beings
d) Neutralising capability for acid production and also maintaining the pH level with bicarbonate
Therefore, it’s important that this soldier should remain on duty in order to have a healthy mouth. For this, a three-fold strategy is needed-
STRATEGY 1
ENSURE YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT SALIVA
According to oral health studies, one healthy individual produces two to four pints of saliva on a daily basis, which amounts to 10,000 gallons in a lifetime! If you do not have this ideal level of moisture in your mouth, it’s alarming. So you need to find the reason why it is happening and how you can maintain the required level to be healthy. Reasons behind insufficient saliva can be many such as dehydration, medication, or injury of the saliva gland. Dryness in the mouth can lead to many problems such as bad breath, cavities, gum disease, painful swallowing, poor sense of taste, and speech problem as well.
What are the recommended foods and drinks to stimulate the flow of saliva?...
What is Strategy 2 and Strategy 3? …
To know the another soldier for our oral health and furthermore, read the complete article in Nov’18 edition of English Akhand Gyan Monthly Magazine.
