QUEZON City, Philippines (February 12) – We can’t deny that once we experience any tooth problem, our whole body is painfully affected. But said effects don’t just stop there, it can also affect our quality of life in the form of our physical, mental and social well-being. Sadly, tooth problems can affect the way we speak, eat and socialize.
These problems occur because sometimes when we already feel something is wrong with our teeth, we often ignore it. Even when our mouth bleeds and have tender gums, we sometimes choose not to ask for medical help but just to let it go. We are not aware that from those simple symptoms, several tooth problems can already develop. Since February and is the National Dental Health Month, it’s about time that we visit our dentists for that long-awaited dental check-up. It’s important that we raise our dental health consciousness and take the initiative to prevent tooth problems.
According to the Department of Health, oral disease continues to be a serious public health problem in the Philippines. The prevalence of dental caries on permanent teeth has generally remained above 90% throughout the years. About 92.4% of Filipinos have tooth decay (dental caries) and 78% have gum diseases (periodontal diseases) (DOH, NMEDS 1998). Although preventable, these diseases affect almost every Filipino at one point or another in his or her lifetime. Filipinos usually experience gum disease early in their childhood. According to NOHS, 74% of twelve-year-old children suffer from gingivitis. If not treated early, these children become susceptible to irreversible periodontal disease as they enter adolescence and approach adulthood.
Additionally, these conditions can weaken bodily defenses and serve as portals of entry to other more serious and potentially dangerous systemic diseases and infections. Serious conditions include arthritis, heart disease, endocarditic, gastro-intestinal diseases, and ocular-skin-renal diseases. Aside from physical deformity, these two oral diseases may also cause disturbance of speech significant enough to affect work performance, nutrition, social interactions, income, and self-esteem.
To address the occurrence of these problems, here are the 5 tips recommended by the Canadian Dental Association:
- Keep your mouth clean
- Use a soft-bristle toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
- Wait at least 20–30 minutes after eating before brushing your teeth.
- Floss every day.
- Eat a well-balanced diet.
- Limit foods and beverages containing sugar or carbohydrates.
- Ideal snack foods: cheese, nuts, vegetables, and non-acidic fruits.
- Check your mouth regularly
- Look for signs of gum disease:
- Red, shiny, puffy, sore or sensitive gums
- Bleeding when you brush or floss
- Bad breath that won’t go away
- Look for signs of oral cancer;
- Bleeding or open sores that don’t heal
- White or red patches
- Numbness or tingling
- Small lumps and thickening on the sides or bottom of your tongue, the floor or roof of your mouth, the inside of your cheeks, or on your gums.
3. Eat well
- Good nutrition helps build strong teeth and gums.
- Munch on mouth healthy snacks like cheeses, nuts, vegetables, and non-acidic fruits.
4. See your dentist regularly
- For those people who haven’t seen a dentist in the past year have gun disease. Regular dental exams and professional cleanings are the best way to prevent and detect problems before they get worse.
5. Don’t smoke or chew tobacco
- Smoking and chewing tobacco can cause oral cancer, heart disease, gum disease, and a variety of other cancers.
If ever there is already a serious problem in your teeth, don’t hesitate to immediately find a dentist. Don’t wait for a toothache or a dental emergency to look for a dentist. Ask for recommendations from friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers. If you’re moving, ask if your current dentist can refer you to a dentist in your new area. These recommended ways must be applied by all people so they will prevent any tooth problems.
(written by Jasmin Monte, edited by Jay Paul Carlos, additional research by Lovely Ann Cruz)
