Dentist in Hamilton ON shares 6 Great Dental Hygiene Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle

Dentistry on Parkdale is where your smile is our central focus. An attractive smile enhances your natural beauty, but its appearance comes second to Dr. Karen Ho and her team’s No. 1 priority: oral health.

When your smile is healthy, it shows! Decay-free teeth and disease-free gums generally don’t have dark, pitted surfaces and puffy or receding tissue characteristic of decay and gum disease. Moreover, conditions like advanced gum disease are associated with systemic diseases that at first bite seem to have nothing to do with your mouth. So, habits that support your well-being often support oral health, too!

Consider the following 6 Great Dental Hygiene Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle in Hamilton ON for the ultimate in positive, life-transforming behaviors.

Eat for health

The Journal of Periodontology reports certain foods promote healthy teeth and gums. Foods rich in Omega-3, calcium and Vitamin D are also linked to a lower incidence of periodontal disease and less severe types of gum disease. Many types of food are great sources of these beneficial nutrients, no supplements necessarily required. Walnuts, soybeans, chia seeds, yogurt, dark leafy greens like spinach and kale, cheese, cereal, egg yolks, and mushrooms also happen to be the same foods that lower cholesterol, support heart health, and boost immunity.

Don’t use tobacco products

We all know smoking isn’t good for us. It’s a leading cause of respiratory failure and cardiovascular disease. It’s also a significant risk factor for the gum disease that can lead to tooth loss. Researchers have found that the use of tobacco can also interfere with periodontal disease treatment. Smoking impairs your body’s natural defenses and ability to fight off infections, including those affecting your gums. It also weakens your body’s capacity to heal following surgery or procedures to restore gum health.

Keep diabetes in check

More than 9% of the Canadian population has diabetes. Why is your dentist talking about this condition? The development of gum disease is associated with poor diabetes control. If you don’t keep your blood sugars within a healthy range, you’re more likely to have periodontal disease and to develop a more severe form of the disease. So, good diabetic control is not only great for your eyes and heart health but it works wonders on your gums!

Brush often, brush well

The oral cavity doesn’t exist in isolation from the rest of the body. Your mouth naturally contains bacteria. Harmful bacteria can flourish if given the right conditions, such as teeth and gums covered in food debris that isn’t removed with proper brushing. The acids in sugars and starches mix with bacteria and produce the plaque that promotes tooth decay and inflames gum tissue. Bacteria in gum disease can spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream. Don’t give these germs the opportunity to spread!

• Use a soft-bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste to carefully clean the teeth, gums, tongue, and other tissues in your mouth that harbor bacteria.
• Brush at least two times each day.
• Replace your toothbrush or brush head (on an electric- or battery-powered toothbrush) at least once every three or four months.

DENTIST IN HAMILTON ON SHARES 6 GREAT DENTAL HYGIENE TIPS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Routine Dental Hygiene & Oral Cancer Screening is advised & conducted by Dentist Dr. Karen Ho at Dentistry on Parkdale in Hamilton ON L8H 1B1 area in Canada. CALL 905-547-4940

Video Transcript

Most patients are urged to receive a professional routine leaning every 6 months. The purpose of hygiene visits is to clean teeth and gum surfaces of plaque and tartar, which may accumulate ore time. When plaque remains on teeth, it hardens into tartar, which is difficult to remove. Both substances are bacteria-friendly and support to acidity in the mouth, which creates the prime environment for disease. Extensive research indicates that oral cancer is a condition, that has a good prognosis when detected early.

The routine screening process for oral cancer involves the evaluation of soft tissues, including the lips, for signs of precancerous or cancerous lesions.
Dr. Karen Ho is committed to helping her patients prevent this, and other unhealthy oral conditions.

Floss right, every day

It’s estimated that patients who only brush their teeth miss more than one-third of each tooth’s surface when they clean. It’s important to integrate flossing into your healthy lifestyle habits to clean the surfaces that can’t be reached with a toothbrush alone. Make sure to break off at least 18 inches of floss each time. That way, you have enough of the product to not re-use a section of floss, which only relocates the bacteria from one part of your mouth to another. Gently rub the floss between teeth, along the side of every tooth.

Visit us!

Conditions can arise even with the best home- and self-care. Dr. Ho and her team are trained to detect early-stage disease and other problems well before you may realize you need treatment. There are also many professional products available at the dentist’s office to prevent problems, such as dental sealants that protect cavity-prone back teeth.

Recall appointments are also combined with oral cancer screening. When detected early by assessing facial features and examining for lumps and other abnormalities, oral or mouth cancers have a high rate of being successfully treated.

Get ready to feel better! Call 905-547-4940 to schedule your next “well” appointment at Dentistry on Parkdale in Hamilton, ON.

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Dr. Karen Ho is a trusted dentist serving patients of all ages in Hamilton, Ontario. Having studied at prestigious institutes such as McMaster University and University of Toronto and trained at Hartford Hospital (General Practice Residency), she opened her private practice in 2003.

Dr. Ho is committed to lifelong learning as she believes that she can serve her community better by constantly updating herself. She is affiliated with many professional organisations like the Academy of General Dentistry, Institute for Clinical Practice of Pediatric Dentistry, The Dawson Academy Study Club, Niagara Peninsula Dental Diagnostic Study Club, Hamilton Chapter of the Seattle Study Club (Founding Member), and Boston and Tufts Universities.