September is Oral Health Month and while most of us think about oral health in terms of our teeth and gums, what happens in our mouths doesn’t necessarily stay there. Gum disease has been associated with more than 50 systemic conditions, making good oral care an important part of looking after our overall health.
Yet a Ivodent and Sunstar GUM survey of South African dental professionals suggests there are still gaps in our daily oral-care habits, with only around a third of South Africans cleaning between their teeth daily and an estimated 40% using an incorrect technique.
And getting the basics right is only part of the picture. Even within the same household, what good oral care looks like isn’t necessarily the same for everyone.
A young child learning to brush, a teenager with braces, an adult managing their gum health and an older family member with changing oral-care needs may all share the same bathroom but what they need from their daily routine can be very different.
“Oral care is one of those habits that naturally becomes part of family life,” says Dirna Grobbelaar, Ivohealth Oral Hygiene Advisor and GUM spokesperson. “But while consistency is important, that doesn’t mean everyone in the family should follow exactly the same routine. What works best will depend on each person’s individual needs.”
Start with the person, not the product
With shelves full of toothbrushes, toothpastes, interdental products and mouthrinses, knowing what to choose isn’t always straightforward.
“Age is one consideration but it is certainly not the only one,” says Grobbelaar. “Someone with braces will face different cleaning challenges to someone with implants, while another family member may need more support cleaning between their teeth or caring for their gums.”
The aim isn’t to make oral care more complicated. Matching the routine to the person can actually make it easier to build habits they can stick to.
Brushing is important but it isn’t the whole routine
Brushing is the oral-care habit most of us learn first but caring for the whole mouth involves more than a toothbrush alone.
“Looking after your mouth shouldn’t be seen in isolation from looking after the rest of your body,” says Grobbelaar. “Research has found associations between gum disease and conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, while emerging research is also exploring links between oral health and depression. It gives us another reason to pay attention to our gums and the areas that brushing alone may not adequately clean.”
For Oral Health Month, GUM is putting the focus on four simple steps: tongue cleaning, cleaning between the teeth with an appropriate interdental tool, brushing with toothpaste and using a mouthrinse where appropriate.
“Brushing tends to get most of our attention, which means other parts of oral care can easily be overlooked,” says Grobbelaar. “Looking at the complete routine can help you spot the gaps and make sure you’re giving the rest of your mouth the attention it needs.”
And routines shouldn’t be set in stone. Getting braces or implants, for example, can be a reason to reassess what you are doing at home rather than simply continuing with the same habits.
Is it time for a family routine check?
So, when last did you take a closer look at what’s happening in your own bathroom?
GUM’s online Family Routine Builder makes it easier to do just that. It asks four quick questions for an individual or the whole household and uses the answers to help build a tailored GUM routine.
“Good oral care shouldn’t feel overwhelming. It’s about building good habits and choosing the right tools for your individual needs and if you’re unsure about what’s right for you or someone in your family, your dental professional can help guide you,” concludes Grobbelaar.
#GUMHealthyFamilyRoutines
@ivohealth @gumsouthafrica www.ivohealth.co.za
