Smile For Life! World Oral Health Day 2015

Oral health affects not only how we feel on the inside, but it influences the world around us. We know that the mouth tells a story of what your body looks like on the inside: it shows signs of diseases such as diabetes and measles, as well as nutritional deficiencies. How we smile also tells the world how we feel. Our friends and family perceive us through our smile and they will react to that. Are you proud of your smile? Does it reflects how you feel on the inside?

March 20th is World Oral Health Day. This is organized by the FDI, the world dental federation, to take the time and appreciate oral health. Did you know that 90% of the world’s population will suffer at some point from oral diseases, such as gum disease, carries, or tooth infections. Sadly, only 60% of these people have access to oral healthcare. I remember taking a trip to Fiji and visiting one of the villages. The closest dentist was two hours away. There are over 1 million qualified dentist or world wide, but unfortunately they are not equally distributed. Some of the poorest countries have one dentist for more than 300,000 people. I’d like to express my gratitude towards my teachers for giving me the skills to be able to serve my patients. I am thankful that where I live, we have access to great dental and medical services.

I believe that good oral health begins with prevention. If you have been brushing two minutes twice a day and flossing once a day, give yourself a pat on the back! It does take a commitment to be healthy! During my consultations, I take the time to discuss prevention because I feel it is the most important thing you can do for your oral health. So here are my tips for the 2015 World Oral Health Day:

1. Use a soft brush, either manual or electric for 2 minutes twice a day.

2. If you choose electric, pick a small brush head with sonic technology, such as Waterpik Sensonic.

3. Do not brush the gums, but aim to get under them slightly through small circular motion. Brushing the gums can create permanent damage, called recession.

4. Floss using the Waterpik water flosser once a day, at least.

5. Choose a natural toothpaste or tooth powder, such as Eco-DenT.

6. Visit your dentist twice a year to make sure small problems are detected early.

7. Perform an at home oral self-exam weekly to check the health of your gums, teeth, cheeks, tongue and throat.

In great health,
Dr. Sanda

To further discuss nutrition and dental hygiene contact Dr. Sanda Moldovan to schedule a consultation.