NOA Dental Clinic

Discover valuable information and receive expert guidance from the emergency dentist in Dubai, pediatric dentist in Dubai at our dental clinics in Dubai to help you make informed decisions about your oral health.

Many people think of their body parts in isolation. Take your teeth and gums, for example. Unknown to many, your oral health has a direct effect on your overall health.

As such, it is crucial for everyone in your family to pay close attention to their dental health if they want to achieve good overall health.

But how, exactly, does one’s oral health impact one’s overall health?

Beyond oral health

Taking care of your teeth and gums makes perfect sense, not just because practicing good oral hygiene habits prevents problems like tooth decay and gum disease.

According to the best dentist in Dubai, practicing good oral hygiene is one of your best defenses against a few diseases. How?

For starters, the presence of dental plaque has been linked to different types of diseases and infections. Take note that your mouth contains over 500 types of bacteria which form plaque. While some of these microorganisms are harmless, there are a few that cause diseases. Moreover, although your saliva can provide you with a measure of protection, it cannot protect you against all types of harmful bacteria.

The presence of plaque does not only lead to gum infection if left untreated. It is also associated with diabetes, heart disease, and in women, preterm delivery.

A window into your health

Some diseases also manifest their symptoms through the mouth. For example, the symptoms of diabetes sometimes come out as oral health problems.

Doctors can also check the saliva of a person in detecting problems with other body parts, like osteoporosis, liver cirrhosis, and HIV.

Giving your family a good head-start

Once you understand the value of good oral hygiene habits, not just for oral health, but perhaps equally or even more critically, for overall health, it becomes vital to teaching each member of your household these healthy habits.

But how do you go about this? Here are some helpful tips.

It starts with you

Your children watch you and follow your actions for guidance. And if you say one thing and do another, your actions will carry more weight.

Before you teach your little ones good oral hygiene habits, they must see you practicing them first. Become a role model for your children, and everything else will become easier.

Start them young

The earlier you teach your children how to care for their teeth and gums, the easier it will be for them to retain what you teach. Plus, the habits that they learn early in life will most likely be carried on when they grow older.

Teach your children how to brush their teeth once they learn how to spit. And once their teeth begin to touch one another, they can start practicing how to floss on their own. At the start, you can demonstrate how to do these dental activities. Later on, you can just supervise them with the goal of allowing them to practice oral care independently later on.

A healthy diet is essential

Practicing good oral hygiene is not just about brushing and flossing your teeth regularly. It should also include the consumption of healthy fare, especially fruits and veggies.

And on the converse side of the coin, junk and sweet food should just be given as treats and consumed sparingly.

Visit your dentist regularly

Going to a dentist regularly is a vital part of practicing good oral hygiene, especially for young children. Allowing your dentist to check your kids’ teeth at a young age gives them the confidence to go to the clinic as well as learn invaluable tips from a qualified professional.

But how early should a child visit a dentist? According to experts, children should have their first dental visit at around the age of one or two.

For other members of the family, schedule your visits at least twice a year unless your dentist recommends more frequent visits.

Don’t let kids share utensils

Discourage the sharing of utensils among children or anything that they put into their mouths. This includes pacifiers, feeding bottles, and sippy cups.

Remember, the human mouth is full of bacteria which can be easily transmitted from one person to another by sharing things that go into the mouth. Make sure that you clean and sanitize these items well after every use.

Give your child a good defense

Ask your dentist about dental sealants for children. Sealants provide protection for kids’ teeth by acting as a barrier against tooth decay. These are applied to the chewing surfaces of the teeth and remain intact for years.

Consider giving rewards

One way to reinforce good behavior, in this case, practicing good oral hygiene habits, is to reward your children. Providing rewards encourages children to keep practicing good oral habits daily until it becomes second nature to them.

It does not always have to be material things. Even words of praise and actions like kissing and hugging will do. Just remember to give the reward after the expected action is done and explain why they got a reward.

A lasting gift

There is no better gift that you can give to your children than good health. However, you have to make sure that the good health practices that you teach your children include those related to oral healthcare.

Want to learn more tips and tricks to help your family take better care of their teeth and gums? Schedule a visit at our dental clinics in Dubai.

At NOA Dental, it’s our goal to ensure your oral health.