Oral hygiene
Practice of keeping the oral cavity clean to prevent disease.
Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the oral cavity clean and free of disease and other problems, such as bad breath, through regular brushing of the teeth and adopting good hygiene habits. It is important for the prevention of dental disease and bad breath, with the most common types of dental disease being tooth decay and gum diseases including gingivitis and periodontitis.
- field
- Dental health and preventive medicine
- known_for
- Prevention of tooth decay and gum disease through regular brushing and interdental cleaning
- key_practices
- Brushing at least twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, interdental cleaning
- common_diseases
- Tooth decay (cavities), gingivitis, periodontitis
Lore & Background
Oral hygiene has been practiced since before recorded history, with archaeological evidence showing the use of chew sticks, tree twigs, bird feathers, animal bones, and porcupine quills for teeth cleaning. In historic times, Indian medicine (Ayurveda) used neem tree twigs, and in the Muslim world, the miswak made from a twig or root has been widely used since the Islamic Golden Age. Rubbing baking soda or chalk against the teeth was also common, though this can increase gum and tooth sensitivity.
Reader's Guide
Oral hygiene is significant because tooth decay is the most common global disease, affecting 60–90% of schoolchildren in industrialized countries, while dental caries and periodontal diseases were rare in the pre-Neolithic era. Modern oral microbiota are significantly less diverse than historic populations, with Streptococcus mutans being the most important bacteria in causing caries. Routine tooth brushing for at least two minutes twice a day is the principal method of preventing oral diseases, though a toothbrush only removes about 50% of plaque, making interdental cleaning equally important. Professional dental check-ups are recommended once every three years for adults and once every two years for children, though evidence suggests frequency should be based on individual risk factors. Dental sealants can protect fissures in back teeth, and powered toothbrushes reduce plaque and gingivitis more than manual brushing.
Did You Know?
- Over 80% of cavities occur inside fissures in teeth where brushing cannot reach.
- Severe gum disease causes at least one-third of adult tooth loss.
- The average brushing time for individuals is between 30 seconds and just over 60 seconds, but two minutes is optimal.
- Dental calculus is composed of calcium phosphate minerals with live microorganisms.
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