Oral Hygiene and Disease

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Oral hygiene is an everyday part of life that people have to be mindful of. If time is taken each day, it can prevent a lot of negative health effects on mouths and bodies. People are taught the negative effects of not brushing teeth all of their lives. But do they really know all of the effects not brushing can truly have? Even if the goal is simply whiter teeth, people have to be aware of the repercussions of not having substantial oral hygiene regimens and practices. If the average person fails to keep up with what’s going on in their mouth, the bacteria that forms and builds up can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and even heart issues. And a little prevention goes a long way. Periodontal-disease bacteria will gather and hide in the corners of mouths and begin feeding on substances within the mouths. “The feeding results in plaque, which is a gummy film that covers the teeth. The plaque will then harden and form tartar. Tartar and other toxic byproducts when left unchecked can lead to much more serious problems of inflammation and infection of the gums. In more serious cases, the body fighting back could lead to weakening of the tooth root structure and inevitably needing to be replaced with dentures.” (Vinocur) Quoting Cherae Farmer-Dixon, D.D.S., project director of community-based dental education at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, "We don't see the dentist unless our teeth bother us." Johnson goes on, “the big problem with the wait-'til-it-hurts plan is that periodontal or gum disease--the leading cause of tooth loss--is often painless in its early form. By the time it hurts, you're in the danger zone. Even scarier, recent studies have linked this bacterial infection to cases of diabetes, heart disease, stroke an... ... middle of paper ... ...Care." Prevention 42.7 (1990): 93-95. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Apr. 2014 Healthwise Incorporated. “Tooth Decay Topic Overview.” WebMD.com. WebMD, LLC. 29 July 2011. Web. 17 Mar. 2014 Johnson, Melissa Ewey. "Prevention 101." Essence (Time Inc.) 36.1 (2005): 114. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Kane, Kristin. "Brush Up On The Perfect Smile." Prevention 59.2 (2007): 52. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. S., L. "Test Your Teeth Smarts." Prevention 58.2 (2006): 39. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. Vinocur, B. A. "How To Keep Your Teeth." Saturday Evening Post 255.5 (1983): 70-111. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. "Caring For Teeth & Gums." Curriculum Review 50.1 (2010): 9. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. "No Brushing After Meals." Good Housekeeping 247.3 (2008): 40. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

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