Abstract
Oral health and dental health both are considered essential parts of the overall health of each individual. If someone has poor dental hygiene it may lead to cavities and various gum-related issues. Also, the dental health issue may result from other health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. It is difficult to maintain healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime and it can be possible if you take care of your oral hygiene from the beginning. The earlier a person learns how to maintain proper oral hygiene it will be easier for them to avoid lifelong health issues and expensive dental procedures. In this article, we are going to study how Oral health is related to overall health and how we can manage oral health with some Ayurvedic tips.
Introduction
Same as other systems and areas of the body, oral health is also very important. As if the mouth is accumulated with bacteria then it must travel to the digestive tract as well as the respiratory tract as the mouth is the entry point for these systems. So these bacteria after entering the mouth will hamper the overall health. Usually, if a person is having good oral hygiene and a boosted immune system it will keep their overall health good. So now let’s discuss all this in detail.
Facts About Oral Health
Following Are Some Quick Facts To Know About Oral Health
- Gum diseases and cavities are one of the common health concerns among all dental issues.
- The cases of dental cavities among school-going children lie between 60 to 90%.
- Almost 100% of adults have 1 dental cavity and 15-20% of the persons between the age group of 35-44 have severe gum conditions.
- 30% Of People With Ages Between 66-74 Have No Natural Teeth Left With Them.
- Out Of 100,000 People, 1 – 10 Cases Of Oral Cancer Persists.
How To Keep Oral Cavity Naturally Healthy
Following Are Some Day To Day Tips One Must Follow To Keep The Oral Cavity Healthy
- Brushing And Flossing Your Teeth 2 Times And 1 Time Respectively.
- By Decreasing Sugar Intake.
- Eating Vegetables And Fruits In High Quantities In Your Daily Diet.
- Avoid Using Tobacco And Its Products.
- Must Take A 1 Month Or 2 Month General Checkup With The Dentist.
What To Keep In Notice At Different Ages About Oral Health
1. Child’s Oral Health
It Is A Must To Take Your Child To The Dentist From Their Very First Birthday. As Children Are More Prone To Dental Caries And Tooth Decay Especially While Taking A Bottle Feed. The Cavities May Result From The Excessive Sugar Accumulation Over The Teeth After Taking A Bottle Feed. To Avoid Any Sort Of Dental Health Issue In The Child One Must Take A Look On The Following Points
- During The Meal Time Only One Bottle Should Be Feeded.
- It Is A Must To Wean Off Bottle Feeding Once Your Child Is 1 Year Old.
- Don’t Keep The Bottle Empty And Must Fill Water While You Are Not Feeding The Child.
- When The Baby’s Teeth Start To Come, You Must Start Brushing With A Soft Toothbrush And Use Water Only Till Your Child Learns Not To Swallow Toothpaste Inside The Mouth.
- It Is A Must To Seek A Pediatric Dentist For The Child On Regular Intervals.
2. Men’s Oral Health
It’s Been Reported That Men Are Less Participating In Taking Good Care Of The Oral Hygiene Than Women. They Are More Likely To Brush Their Teeth Twice A Day, Seek Dental Care Or Floss Daily. Oral Cancer Is Also More Diagnosed In Men Than Women. So It Is A Must For Men Population To Take Care Of Their Teeth So As To Prevent Chances Of Dental Health Issues.
3. Women’s Oral Health
As There Is A Change In Female Hormones At Various Stages, So At The Time Of Hormonal Imbalance They Are At A Higher Risk Of Developing Oral Health Issues. When She Experienced Her Very Very First Menses At That Time She Used To Get Oral Sores, Swollen Gums, Etc. Also During Pregnancy There Is An Increase In Hormonal Level Which Affects The Saliva Amount In The Mouth. At This Time Frequent Vomiting Is There That May Lead To Tooth Decay. So It Is A Must To Prevent Your Teeth From Various Diseases By Regularly Visiting A Dentist. Now Comes The Stage Of Menopause, In This Stage The Levels Of Estrogen Get Increased And A Women Is At A Higher Risk Of Developing Gum Disease. Number Of Women Get Affected With Burning Mouth Syndrome (Bms) While Menopause.
Ayurvedic Overview
As Per Ayurveda, There Is A Great Deal About Oral Health Importance Along With Oral Hygiene Practices. Flossing, Brushing, And Regular Dental Cleanings Are Considered As Essential For Keeping Oral Hygiene. But Ayurvedic Oral Hygiene Practices Are One Of The Best Remedies For Preventing Various Dental Health Issues. These Practices Assist In Enhancing Sense Of Taste, Improves Digestive Strength, Supports Detoxification As Well As Enhances Immunity Too. In Ayurveda There Are Tridosha In The Body Vata, Pitta And Kapha Which Have Five Subtypes Too That Play Specific Functions In The Body. Among All These Bodhaka Kapha Is The Main Behind Oral Health.
Functions Of Bodhaka Kapha
Following Are The Functions Of The Bodhaka Kapha Which Helps In Maintaining The Oral Hygiene
- It Starts Off The First Stage Of Digestion That Is The Digestion Of Carbohydrates.
- It Helps In Regulating Oral Bacteria
- Prevents The Friction Between The Oral Tissues By Lubricating Them
- Supports Vocal Cords And Speech
- Helps In Maintaining The Optimum Temperature Of The Mouth
- Aids In Analyzing The Taste
- Boosts The Immune System With The Means Of Tonsils
Benefits Of Good Oral Health
- Enhance Sense To Taste: Ayurveda Mentions Great Deal Of Prominence About Sense Of Taste While Describing Six Different And Unique Tastes. Each Taste Consumption Is Needed For A Balanced Diet. After The Ingestion Of Food Firstly We Experienced A Taste. This Sense Of Taste Prepares The Whole Digestive Tract For The Upcoming Food So It Supports The Optimal Digestion. As Optimal Digestion Is Considered As The Main Cornerstone Of The Healthy Person.
- Bolstered Digestive Strength: This Concern Does Not Come As A Question That Digestion Firstly Starts In The Mouth. The Procedure Of Digestion Starts As The Food Ingested Into The Mouth. The Process Occurs As The Food Comes Into The Mouth, Enzymes Of The Mouth Start To Break Down The Food Into Simple Sugars And Carbohydrates. Teeth Play A Great Role In Designing The Food Prefect As Per According To The Digestive Tract. So If Oral Health Is Not Maintained It Will Hamper The Overall Digestive Health.
- Improve Tissue And Organ Health: As The Tissues Health Depends Upon Agni (Digestive Fire), As It Is The Main That Provides Nourishment For The Betterment Of The Tissues. As Agni Is The Main Behind Converting Food Into The Biological Useful Substances So It Is To Be In A Balanced State. As The Digestive Tract Entry Starts With That Of Mouth And Overall Digestion As Well As Agni Depends Upon The Oral Health So It Is Must To Take Care Of The Oral Hygiene.
So Due To The Above Reasons It Is Necessary To Maintain Oral Health. As It Maintains The Overall Healthy Digestion And Provides Nutrition For Nourishing The Organs And Various Systems Of The Body.
Ayurvedic Procedures To Be Followed For Good Oral Health
Following Are The Ayurvedic Practices That Are To Be Practiced In Daily Life To Promote An Optimal And Good Oral Hygiene. Let’s Have A Look
- Jihva Nirlekhan (Tongue Scraping): As Per Ayurveda, Tongue Is Considered As The Mirror Of Health As It Is Connected To Various Organs Such As Lungs, Liver, Kidneys, Spleen, Heart, Small Intestine, Stomach And So On. So According To Ayurveda It Is Noted That While We Look On Tongue We Are Accessing The Overall Health. And If We Clean The Tongue On A Regular Basis It Directly Affects The Health Of The Organs. So Jihva Nirlekhan (Tongue Scraping) Is To Be Done On A Regular Basis To Avoid Any Health Issues.
- Danta Dhavana (Brushing With Herbal Tooth Powder): It Is A Must To Brush Your Teeth Daily And According To Ayurveda It Is Known As Danta Dhavana. Main Herbs Used For This Practice Are Miswak, Neem, And Babool. Danta Dhavana In Present Days Is Replaced With Brushing With The Pastes. But It Is Better That You Can Use Herbal Powders Or Pastes For The Same To Get Miraculous Benefits.
- Kawala And Gandusha (Oil Pulling): Oil Pulling As Per Ayurveda Is Known As Kawala And Gandusha Which Basically Includes The Method Of Swishing Of Oil Or Medicinal Liquid In The Mouth And After That Spitting It Off. This Practice Provides Nourishment To The Tissues In The Oral Cavity And Also Soothes Them. The Herbs Best For Oil Pulling Involve Guduchi, Triphala, And Fennel.
Above Are Some Practices That Are Needed To Be Followed Daily To Prevent Your Oral Health. So As We Studied If Oral Health Is Maintained Then Your Overall Health Must Be In A Good Condition.
Conclusion
Oral Health And Dental Health Both Are Considered As Essential Parts Of The Overall Health Of Each Individual. Usually, If A Person Is Having Good Oral Hygiene And A Boosted Immune System It Will Keep The Overall Health Good. As Per Ayurveda Oral Health Depends Upon The Levels And Situation Of Bodhaka Kapha. So Is To Maintain The Same Various Practices Mentioned In Ayurveda Such As Danta Dhavana, Jihva Nirlekhana, Kawala, Gandusha, Etc. So To Keep Yourself Healthy First Keep Your Oral Health Maintained With These Ayurvedic Practices.