Updated Tuesday, March 26, 2024-16:08
Dr. Juan Manuel Vadillo and Dr. Antonio Longo
Prevention in oral health goes beyond brushing your teeth every 12 hours.
What role does prevention play in maintaining good oral health?
Dr. Juan Manuel Vadillo:
Adopting a complete oral care routine is crucial to avoid local damage such as the appearance of cavities and periodontal diseases and to also reduce the risk of suffering from other more serious general pathologies. To this, logically we must add the periodic visit to the dentist and/or hygienist, who will be the one to diagnose and propose the necessary means to prevent problems before they become something more serious. It must be emphasized that prevention does not It is just brushing every 12 hours as many people think, but it goes much further than tooth and gum hygiene. We also have to be aware that adopting healthy nutritional habits, reducing sugar intake or controlling smoking habits, can be important measures that contribute to reducing risks. Without a doubt, they are active attitudes that will help reduce risks, avoid having problems in the short term and, especially in the long term, requiring more complex and expensive treatment.
According to the latest studies, 50% of people do not go to the dentist annually. Can this lead to problems that can have an impact beyond the mouth?
Dr. Antonio Longo:
That's right and, in this sense, both companies in the oral health area and health professionals have the task of raising awareness that prevention not only means going to the dentist regularly, but also using appropriate products that are of quality and scientifically tested, as well as using them and at the correct frequency. This will be essential to avoid more harmful consequences, both health and economic. We have to raise awareness among the population about the problems that one can face in the medium short and long term, if the value of a rigorous annual dental check-up is not taken seriously. Taking care of our oral health from childhood is the first step to having healthy teeth for life. Normalizing checkups at the dentist from an early age avoids fear and prevents pathologies in the future. If, in addition, these hygiene and control routines are maintained in adulthood, it will not be difficult to keep our teeth healthy and strong throughout life.
Does oral health impact people's general health?
Dr. Juan Manuel Vadillo:
Without a doubt, and in a very important way. The mouth is not an isolated entity of the body, but is part of it in a very important way. Today, we know that beyond the oral pathology that can occur, there is moderate scientific evidence of the relationship between periodontal disease as a chronic inflammatory disease (of bacterial origin) with other systemic pathologies such as heart attack, exacerbation of diabetes, aspiration pneumonia or even premature birth. There is also evidence of a relationship with arthritis, kidney failure, apnea or erectile dysfunction in men. Degeneration in Alzheimer's or intestinal cancer has also been associated with the bacteria that cause periodontitis.
From what we have seen, oral health goes beyond an aesthetic issue.
Dr. Antonio Longo:
It is important to understand that the mouth is a route of entry into our body for viruses and bacteria. Correct oral hygiene prevents the proliferation of this type of microorganisms and their movement to other parts of the body. In this sense, we find components present in mouthwashes and toothpastes such as CPC (
Cetylpyridinium Chloride
), which helps reduce the infectivity of viruses such as flu or Covid. Being a bidirectional relationship, the general state of health of the body also affects our oral health. If it is not in the best conditions, our mouth is more prone to contracting infections and developing diseases. Likewise, inflammation may not seem important, but it is the beginning of a possible problem that can go further.
What does oral hygiene have to be like for it to be complete?
Dr. Juan Manuel Vadillo:
We must understand oral hygiene as an individual, constant and conscious act. Caries and periodontal disease are infectious diseases dependent on the accumulation of bacterial plaque and if we want to prevent them we must remove it with the means within our reach. Regular brushing of teeth and gums every 12 hours, with a suitable brush and aided by accessory elements such as dental tape or interproximal brushes, should be the basic and irreplaceable procedures to do so. Antiseptic mouthwashes, tongue cleaner, or oral irrigators can help make this cleaning more efficient. With all this, we can guarantee effective prevention with little economic cost. Investing in these oral health essentials is accessible and affordable for the majority of the population.
How can physical and chemical elements of oral health help in the prevention of oral diseases?
Dr. Antonio Longo:
Oral hygiene items can provide key benefits as long as they are used regularly and correctly. Taking care of our mouth is more than just brushing our teeth. The key is to move from the curative approach to the preventive approach, and even more so knowing that 90% of our mouth problems can be prevented. Therefore, it is important to use correct technique and use toothbrushes daily, taking into account the hardness and size of the heads, as well as interproximal brushes along with dental floss, to effectively eliminate bacterial plaque. Thanks to them, we can reach all the surfaces and corners of our mouth, where it tends to accumulate. Pastes with antiseptic and antiplaque active ingredients, such as CPC, can help inhibit the formation of bacterial plaque, reducing its formation, controlling gingivitis and taking care of teeth and gums. In the case of mouthwashes with antiseptic active ingredients, they help control the microorganisms present in our mouth, reaching hard-to-reach areas and effectively complementing brushing.
Made by UE Studio
This text has been developed by UE Studio, the creative branded content and content marketing firm of Unidad Editorial, forDENTAID.