National Dental Hygiene Month

October is National Dental Hygiene Month

‍According to the CDC, “Oral health refers to the health of the teeth, gums, and the entire oral-facial system that allows us to smile, speak, and chew.” CDC Oral Health

‍There are many aspects to promoting proper oral hygiene:

1. Brush at leasttwice daily, including just before bedtime, with a soft brush: have staff inthe dentist’s office show you the proper technique   ‍
2. Don’t forget to brush your tongue: bacteria can build up there, too
3. Floss according to recommendations from your dentist: have the staff at the office show you how
4. Ask your dentist about recommendations for mouthwash
5. Drink plenty of water: if you can’t brush after meals, this can also help reduce stickiness and acidity from foods
6. Snack healthy: crunchy fruits and vegetables are a good choice
7. Limit sugary, sticky and acidic foods
8. See your dentist for cleaning and prophylaxis at least twice yearly

1. Tooth pain orsensitivity‍
2. Bleeding gums
3. Swelling
   
4. Jaw clicking or popping
   

1. Stroke
2. Heart disease
3. Diabetes
   
4. Pregnancy complications
   

1. Treating your teeth like tools
2. Smoking
3. Biting your fingernails
4. Chewing on ice

Avoid these bad habits:

Some reasons you should call your dentist between visits include:

Studies are ongoing into the link between poor oral health and certain conditions including:

Common consequences of poor oral care include cavities (caries), periodontal disease (gingivitis and periodontitis) and oral cancer. For more information, PCHC.org has Health Promotion Activities Plans (HPAPS) on this oral health and many other topics:  

Gingival Hyperplasia  Gingivitis  Periodontitis  PCHC HPAPs

On PCHC’s Training page (https://www.pchc.org/training.html) you can take an online training or fill out the training request form for an oral health training from our outreach department.

Information on free Dental Care Brochures is available from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at Dental Health.

PCHC Periodontitis HPAP