The Importance of Oral Hygiene

What Is Good Oral Health?

Having a healthy mouth means you can chew your food, smile, and speak easily. Clean and healthy teeth also help to maintain the shape of your face and can have a positive impact on your confidence.²

The basics of keeping good oral hygiene are brushing your teeth for two minutes, twice a day, with a fluoride toothpaste³ – like any Sensodyne toothpaste. It’s also advised that you use interdental brushes or floss between your teeth once per day⁴. 

However, there are other things you can do to keep your teeth and mouth healthy besides these basics. Below, we’ll discuss good oral hygiene routines for both adults and children, helping you keep your whole family’s mouths happy and healthy.

What Happens If You Don’t Have Good Oral Hygiene?

Poor oral hygiene can lead to unpleasant health issues, ranging from mild gum disease to cardiovascular conditions¹. Learn about how failing to take care of your mouth and teeth can lead to, or worsen, the following health problems:.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease that causes irritation and soreness your gums. While fairly common and easily treated, if it’s not taken seriously, gingivitis can lead to a more severe form of gum disease called periodontitis.¹⁴ Symptoms of gingivitis include gum redness, tenderness, swelling, bleeding, and recession, and you may suffer from bad breath.¹⁵

Treating gingivitis can be as simple as adopting a more rigorous oral hygiene routine, including daily flossing, but you must visit your dentist to determine the best course of treatment for you if your gums are red, swollen, or bleeding.¹⁶

Periodontitis

Periodontitis occurs when gingivitis is not treated and progresses further into the gums and the roots of the teeth. It can cause permanent harm to the gum tissue and supporting jawbone. Once severe periodontitis sets in, teeth can become loose and eventually fall out.¹⁷

Symptoms of periodontitis include the presence of tartar on the teeth (hardened plaque), frequent bleeding from the gums, bad breath, teeth changing position, receding gums, and painful gums.¹⁸

Thankfully, periodontitis can be treated and stopped in its tracks with proper intervention from your dentist¹⁹, with professional cleaning, antibiotics, surgery, and aftercare²⁰. To ensure your periodontitis is managed and doesn’t worsen, you will need to revisit your dentist frequently and carefully follow their advice²¹.

Heart Disease

People who have gum disease are 2-3 times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or another other cardiovascular-related problem than those without gum disease.²²

While the link hasn’t yet been proven²², doctors and dentists believe the association between the two is compelling enough to urge people to take signs of gum disease more seriously and work with their dentist to prevent gum disease.²³

Lung Conditions

Lung conditions, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, can be made worse by gum disease and poor oral health. This is because gum disease is caused by the build-up of plaque bacteria in the mouth. Some of the bacteria in the mouth can be inhaled into the lungs, meaning that lungs with pre-existing conditions can be too weak to fight off inflammation and infection.²⁴

Those with pre-existing lung conditions should follow a thorough oral hygiene regimen to reduce the risk of plaque bacteria entering their lungs.²⁵