Oral Health and Hygiene

Good oral health is important not only for our appearance but also for our overall health. Cavities and gum diseases may influence many serious conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, etc. Untreated cavities can also be painful and lead to serious infections. Proper oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth and teeth clean in order to prevent dental problems and bad breath. Good oral health should be a priority at all life stages, in order to keep the teeth till old age. Smoking is a major risk factor for oral and dental disease; it may cause oral cavity cancer.

There are 5 steps to keep oral health:

· see your dentist regularly; some pre cancerous lesions often are detected by dentist when the patient comes for check up.

· clean your teeth twice a day. Use a soft-bristle toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque and bacteria causing cavities, periodontal and gum diseases. Fluoride makes the surface of teeth more resistant to acids during the process of demineralization. The use of dental floss is an important element of the oral hygiene, since it removes the plaque between teeth. Make flossing your habit and do it regularly.

· eat a well-balanced diet. Healthy food is good for your general health and your oral health. Bread and cereals are rich in vitamin B while fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, both of which contribute to healthy gum tissue. Lean meat, fish, and poultry provide magnesium and zinc for teeth. Drink fluoridated water.

· check your mouth regularly. Be aware of warning signs of periodontal disease. Gum disease is one of the main reasons why adults lose their teeth.

· don’t smoke or chew tobacco.

Dental caries is another name for tooth decay where bacterial infection affects the hard outer layer lining of the teeth which consists of enamel, cementum and dentin. The bacteria live in plaque and break down sugars from diet to produce acid. Diagnosis for tooth caries is quite simple. Less obvious decays can only be detected by an X-ray test. The decayed part of the tooth is removed using a dentist’s drill and is filled in with paste. If the decay is beyond repair, the tooth will be extracted.

Periodontal disease also called Periodontitis or Gum Disease is a bacterial infection that destroys the supporting structures holding the teeth in their place. The main etiologic agent is bacterial plaque. Left untreated, this disease can lead to bone grafts, gum grafts, and ultimately tooth loss. Some of the early warning signs are slight bleeding when you brush, gums are getting softer and are changing their colour from pink to red.

Thrush of mouth is a yeast infection that may appear in an individual’s mouth that is caused by uncontrollable growth of an organism known as Candida albicans. One of the leading and primary reasons of oral thrush is gorge of antibiotics. Candidiasis is not generally a critical condition. The exception is that it enters the blood and then multiplies in organs particularly in people with weakened immune systems. For this reason an antifungal prescription can be administered.

The best way to prevent dental diseases is to practice good oral and to make your check up regularly.

Task 1. Learn the following words and word combinations.

acid	['æsɪd]	кислота
appearance	[ə'pɪər(ə)ns]	внешность
caries=tooth decay	['kɛəri:z][tu:θ][dɪ'keɪ]	кариес
untreated	[ʌn'tri:tɪd]	не вылеченный
resistant to	[rɪ'zɪst(ə)nt]	резистентный; устойчивый; невосприимчивый
cavity	['kævətɪ]	полость, пазуха
plaque	[plɑːk]	зубной камень, налёт
dental floss	['dent(ə)l][flɔs]	зубная нить
enamel	[ɪ'næm(ə)l]	эмаль
fluoride	[flʊərʌɪd]	фторид
filling	['fɪlɪŋ]	пломба (в зубе)
hygiene	['haɪʤi:n]	гигиена
inflammation	[ֽɪnflə'meɪʃ(ə)n]	воспаление
thrush of mouth	[θrʌʃ][əv] [mauθ]	кандидозный стоматит
oral diseases	['ɔːr(ə)l][dɪ'zi:zəz]	заболевания полости рта
periodontal disease	[pɛrɪədɒntəl] [dɪ'zi:z]	заболевание парадонта
periodontitis	[pɛrɪədɒntʌɪtɪs]	периодонтит