Your smile and your overall health depend on simple dental care habits, like brushing and flossing regularly. To use the American Dental Association’s definition, “oral health is a functional, structural, aesthetic, psychological and psychosocial state of well-being and is essential to an individual’s general health and quality of life.” In this post, we will discuss what good oral health means to Wabash Valley Children’s Dentistry, as well as our patients and their families.

Not unlike other parts of the body, your mouth is full of bacteria. Most of this bacteria isn’t dangerous. However, your mouth is the doorway to your digestive and respiratory tracts, and a portion of these bacterias can cause disease. Under normal circumstances, the body’s natural defenses, combined with proper oral hygiene, keep bacteria at bay. Without proper oral hygiene, bacteria may reach levels that could lead to oral infections like tooth decay or gum disease.

According to the Mayo Clinic, some medications such as antidepressants, decongestants, and painkillers can reduce the flow of saliva. Saliva removes food and neutralizes acids that are produced by bacteria in the mouth. This helps to protect you from certain microbes that can increase and result in disease.

Good oral hygiene starts with a routine that keeps your mouth healthy, disease free, and keeps your smile looking bright. In terms of pediatric dentistry, good oral health is seen when a child has good, consistent oral habits, regular dental appointments, no dental decay to speak of, a bite that functions well to chew and speak, and a smile that can be seen in a happy and confident way.

Positive oral health doesn’t come by one person forcing it on another person. Many people can be involved in the process of achieving good oral health. A child and his or her parents are partners in the process. Your children’s dentist can be relied on to help assure that your child is on track for good oral health. In addition, schools and other people who may have control over your child’s eating habits may also play a role in your child’s oral health. So, when we talk about oral health, we really are talking about a lot of factors that come from a lot of directions.

Preventative oral health care is essential when focusing on preventing costly and often painful dental problems. It is important to brush, floss, and use mouthwash to remove plaque and bacteria in order to prevent decay. While it may be easy to neglect brushing, appointments to the dentist, and flossing, it does more damage than you may imagine. These activities should be made a part of your regular routine. In addition, a healthy and balanced diet can go a long way in promoting good oral health.

When talking about visiting the dentist in particular, it is important that a visit twice a year to the dentist is made a priority for all children. Receiving a dental exam from a professional children’s dentist of your child’s teeth is extremely important. Only then can you receive x-rays, and review your child’s teeth in detail, such as his or her development and alignment. In addition, any plaque can be removed before existing acids might start decay and cavities.

At Wabash Valley Children’s Dentistry, we value your child’s oral health. Let us be a part of assuring that your child has the best oral health care that they can possible receive. Call us today! 812-234-5437