“A Healthy Mouth Is A Happy Body” – World Oral Health Day
How often do you take care of your oral health? You may think that brushing twice a day is enough, right? While you’re not entirely wrong, but maintaining a good oral health requires a lot more effort. It goes beyond just routine brushing. And to remind us the importance of maintaining good oral health, every year on March 20, we observe World Oral Health Day.
World Oral Health Day serves as a worldwide forum for promoting awareness about the importance of good oral hygiene and how it affects our general well-being. It also emphasizes how important it is to take preventative steps and develop good habits in order to maintain our teeth and defend against oral illnesses. So let us examine the significance of this day in more detail and discuss how we may make dental health a top priority in order to live a longer, happier life.
World Oral Health Theme 2024
Every year on March 20, World Oral Health Day serves as a reminder of how important it is to maintain good oral health. The purpose of World Oral Health Day is to raise awareness of the need to maintain proper oral hygiene practices and reduce risk factors for poor oral health; such as smoking and bad eating habits.
The theme “A Happy Mouth Is…A Happy Body” conveys the straightforward yet impactful message that oral health encompasses a crucial aspect of your general health. The selection of this theme is intended to inspire you to respect and care for your oral health.
Why Is Oral Health Important?
No matter how old you are, caring for your mouth is essential. Your mouth can affect everything, how you feel about yourself, how you feel around others, how you speak, smile, and even your ability to enjoy a simple meal. In other words, it affects your happiness and well-being to a great deal. So, to be able to enjoy the simplest things in life, you need to make sure that you have a good oral health.
But how do you maintain a proper oral health? We’ll help you with it, but first, you need to understand why oral health is so important. There are several reasons why you need to ensure your mouth is in a good condition. Here’s a breakdown:
Basic Functions: Being able to talk, chew, and swallow comfortably is made possible by having a healthy mouth. However, these activities may be uncomfortable or challenging if you have poor oral health.
General Health: Your mouth serves as a portal to your body. Oral bacteria can easily enter your bloodstream and can cause a variety of health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, and even troubles during pregnancy.
Confidence: A healthy grin makes you feel better about yourself. On the other hand, dental issues like tooth decay, gum disease, or tooth loss can make you feel anxious around people and negatively impact your confidence.
Quality of Life: Good oral health enables you to enjoy a wide range of foods and minimizes oral pain and suffering. This can have a major positive impact on your quality of life.
Hence, having a good oral health is necessary to keep your everyday going easy and smooth.
Common Oral Problems That You Need To Be Aware Of
It is estimated that oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people, causing unnecessary pain and discomfort. Most adults over age 65 don’t have any natural teeth left. And most children under age 9 have dental caries in their primary teeth.
While dental cavities or caries happen to be among the most common oral problems, however, it’s not the only issue. Here are some other oral problems that you need to be careful about:
Dental cancer: Dental cancer develops when cells in your mouth grow out of control. Thus, understanding the warning signs and symptoms is essential.
Loss of teeth: This can occur for a number of reasons; producing gaps that may affect your ability to chew comfortably.
Periodontal disease: If left untreated, this gum disease can cause inflammation and discomfort, as well as possibly result in tooth loss.
Oral thrush: Your tongue or inner cheeks may get white spots due to this fungal illness. Although it is generally harmless, however, it can cause discomfort, particularly in those with impaired immune systems.
Canker sores: These tiny, excruciating sores appear on the soft tissues of the mouth. Although the precise reason is unknown, certain meals, injury, or stress can all cause them.
Dental erosion: When your teeth is exposed to acid from food, beverages (such as soda), or the acid in the stomach, the surface of your teeth starts eroding.
How to Take Care of Your Oral Health?
Maintaining proper oral hygiene is extremely crucial as oral diseases have become a major health concern. Oral diseases not only make you feel uncomfortable but they also negatively impact your life. They often lead to a lack of self-confidence, and social isolation, and are often linked to health-related issues. However, most oral diseases are preventable with good oral hygiene. So let’s take a look at some of the steps necessary to maintain good oral health:
- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste two times a day
- Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables
- Limit excessive sugar intake
- Don’t use tobacco products
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Go for regular dental check-ups